


Sunlight Through Prison Bars

by sunnyside_down



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Anxiety, Artist Nico di Angelo, Chaptered, Doctor Will Solace, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace Fluff, Singer Nico di Angelo, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Tumblr Prompt, house arrest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:34:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23550898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyside_down/pseuds/sunnyside_down
Summary: "When Nico was told he had to spend six months indoors, he could barely keep the smirk off his face. Six months? He’d probably had naps longer than that, and it was just a more concrete excuse to not leave his dorm each time Jason insisted on going to a party."In which Nico gets put on house arrest, and Will gets an interesting new neighbour.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hades/Persephone (Percy Jackson), Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace/Piper McLean, Lou Ellen Blackstone/Cecil Markowitz, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 104
Kudos: 201





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> This is my first Solangelo fic, but seeing as I've read pretty much all the fics on here and I'm bored as hell I thought I'd write my own!  
> The idea of this fic comes from this prompt:  
> https://solangelo.tumblr.com/post/161523362978/ive-always-had-this-idea-of-what-is-nico-was  
> I found on @solangeloprompts tumblr and just thought it was such a great idea!
> 
> Hoping for this to be a multi chaptered story so pls let me know if you want to see any more, I've got lots planned out already but am always open to suggestions!!
> 
> Also just a warning I dont really know much about the whole law system and how it works to get an electronic tag/put on house arrest so dont attack me lmao 
> 
> Enjoy

When Nico was told he had to spend six months indoors, he could barely keep the smirk off his face. Six months? He’d probably had naps longer than that, and it was just a more concrete excuse to not leave his dorm each time Jason insisted on going to a party.   
He looked around the familiar office of the Dean of Students, thinking that he might almost miss his frequent trips here during his mini holiday, when a voice snapped him back to reality.  
  
“Of course as you’re living in halls supplied by the university, you can not complete your sentence here, you will have to go back to a permanent place of residence. We have informed your father already and he has sent a car to pick you up and take you home.” Chiron’s firm but kind voice shattered his daydreams and he froze in his seat.  
  
“What?” Nico hissed through gritted teeth, dark eyes returning to the fatherly man sitting in front of him.  
  
“You’ll be spending the 6 months at your family home, Mr Di Angelo. All the work from your course will be sent along to you during this time, but I’m sure you can understand why we’re unable to house you here,” Chiron continued, then lowered his voice, eyes soft, “I fought very hard to prevent you from getting expelled, Nico. You’re such a promising student, so think of this as a way of focussing more on completing your portfolio.”  
  
Nico stood up, storming out of the office, door slamming behind him. Running his hands violently through his dark hair, he slid to the floor against the wall and let out a frustrated growl. Why was he stupid enough to think the university would want him here after everything? He was just some disaster waiting to happen, always fucking up everything he touched; a disappointment. And now he had to go crawling back to his father after all this time and effort spent trying to get away from him. Nico could already imagine the look on his fathers face, see the disappointment in his eyes as he looked down upon his son, lips curled in disgust, shaking his head. _Bianca would never have done this to the family._  
  
He wanted to scream. Or run, but he knew the police officers were just outside the reception in the corridor, waiting to escort him to his fathers car, put the tag on his ankle and sign the deal. Send him off like they’d just completed their good deed for the day.  
Instead, he sat there against the wall, thankful that Chiron didn’t follow him out the door, and feeling guilty for taking out his anger on the only person who’d been on his side.  
  
He’d just managed to catch his breath and slow his heart rate down, when the door to the corridor opened, and a tall blonde figure stumbled in, blue eyes wide with concern, scanning the room before falling on the dark crumpled figure on the floor.  
  
Jason bent down beside the figure, seeming unsure of what to do, and how to comfort his friend. An angry Nico was a dangerous Nico.  
But when the smaller boys’ dark eyes flickered up, there was no anger, just pain and mild panic framed by thick lashes and dark, tired circles.  
  
“Jace I-“  
  
“I know. Reyna told me what happened.” The blonde boys handsome face contorted behind his glasses, “That bastard-“  
  
“Where is he? Has he been put on house arrest too?” Nico’s voice sounded desperate to his own ears.  
  
Jason looked down, “Not exactly. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him for a while though,” Jason’s face slowly broke out into a grin, “you should have seen him Neeks, I don’t think he’ll be walking for days.”  
  
“Don’t call me that” Jason’s smile disappeared and his eyes filled with sympathy.  
  
“Sorry.” There was a silence for a couple of seconds, in which Nico enjoyed watching Jason squirm uncomfortably. “Hey I brought some of your stuff. Mostly sketchbooks and sheet music ‘cos I couldn’t decide which black T-shirts you’d want out of the hundreds in your wardrobe, and I couldn’t fit your guitar in my bag.” Jason grinned sheepishly, and Nico only just noticed the large, offensively bright purple bag dumped unceremoniously at his friends feet.  
  
“You couldn’t have picked something a bit more conspicuous?” The dark haired boy drawled, but with a slight quirk tugging at the side of his mouth.  
  
Jason feigned offence and clutched his hand to his heart, “How dare you! You should be honoured I’m letting you use my beloved camp bag! Also, after the day you’re having I didn’t think conspicuous was really your style.” Nico felt a grin creep onto his face at this.  
  
“Your camp sucked. I’m gonna remember to throw it out as soon as I get home. I’ll send you a video.”   
Nico and Jason had gone to rival summer camps in their early teens, and what had started out as a competitive acknowledgement of each other as the strongest capture the flag leaders of their respective camps, had turned into a inseparable friendship once they began at the same high school.  
  
“Hey are you even allowed on snapchat whilst you’re serving time?” The taller boy joked, poking his friend in the side.  
  
Nico rolled his eyes, grateful that his best friend could cheer him up even in his darkest moments, “Yes you moron, and I’m allowed visitors after the first month so you better not ditch me.”  
  
Jason’s grin grew impossibly wider at this, “Oh don’t worry dude, Leo has already started the party preparations, hey you don’t happen to have blueprints of your family house do you?”  
  
Nico’s eyes widened in horror, “You better not let Valdez step one foot inside my house Grace or I swear to gods I will burn that stupid Camp Jupiter bag.”  
  
The other boy laughed, putting his hands up in mock defence, “Alright, alright, I’ll get him to agree to no explosives, how does that sound?” Nico didn’t even dignify this with an answer, the brief relief his friend brought him ebbing away by the second as the serious nature of the situation dawned on him.  
  
The blue eyed boys’ expression softened when he saw the look on the other’s face. “Hey, it’s gonna be ok. Six months will go by in no time.”  
  
Nico lowered his gaze to his clenched olive toned fists, tangled tightly in his dark washed Ramones T-shirt, “I just don’t think I can be alone with him in _that_ house.”  
  
Jason looked taken aback by his friends out of character honesty, “Hades and Seph aren’t even gonna be there till Christmas, and by that time Hazel will be back from school too, _and_ it will have been longer than a month by then so I can come and stay with you too if you need me.”  
  
Nico had forgotten about the elaborate ‘business trips’ his father and Persephone always took late in the year, but this was pushed to the back of his mind while he looked up at Jason suspiciously, “Why do you know so much about my family’s schedule?”  
  
Jason had the grace to look a bit sheepish “Hey Seph is like a second mom to me man, and Hazel rings me every week to check how you’re doing.”  
  
Nico’s mouth fell open, “Grace, you are a traitor,” He glared playfully at the taller boy, before muttering under his breath “and my own sister! I’ll be having words with them when they get home.”  
  
Jason chuckled to himself before offering the smaller boy a hand up (which he ignored), and heading towards the door. Jason had lived at the Di Angelo house a lot during their later years of high school, after his sister left for college, leaving him alone in the questionable care of their mother. Nico was pretty sure his father and Seph loved Jason more than they loved him; they always showed up and cheered at his football games, called to check up on him since they started college, and invited him over for Christmas and thanksgiving. Nico wanted to be bitter, but why wouldn’t someone want Jason as their instead of him? He argued that they never came to support him at anything during school, but seeing as Nico was deathly allergic to any type of sports or movement that involved _trying,_ he figured he didn’t even really give Jason a run for his money in the model son department.  
Since finishing school Nico spent all his time in the little dorm room he and Jason shared in the centre of the city, not bothering to attempt the short route back home despite the invitations. He didn’t mind Seph, and he loved Hazel, but she knew of his reluctance to spend time with their father and so graciously offered to visit him instead. She attended an all girls boarding school on the opposite side of the city, and always dropped by to see her brother when she travelled home.  
  
He and Jason both knew that leaving this room meant saying goodbye to each other for the next few weeks, so they stood awkwardly blue eyes staring intently at the smaller boy, brown eyes locked on the carpeted floor, before Jason pulled Nico into a bone crushing hug, releasing him before the scowling boy had the time to start spluttering his protests.  
  
“I’ll come visit in a month ok? And call Reyna as soon as your home, she is _so_ mad at you.”  
Nico groaned, knowing he still had the wrath of his most intimidating friend to deal with, which would be even worse seeing as he only beat up Bryce to defend her honour.  
He shuddered, thinking of the horrifying sight of Reyna, the toughest person the self proclaimed ‘Prince of Darkness’ had ever met, crying in her dorm room because of the words of resident douchebag Bryce Lawrence. Nico wasn’t even sure he’d seen the girl show emotions before he caught her late last night, and the surge of anger than ran through him as he hunted down the perpetrator was unlike anything he had ever felt before.   
  
And he’d do it again in a heartbeat.  
  
A knock on the door broke the boy out of his thoughts, reminiscent rage trickling out of his body, and a loud, harsh voice grumbled through the thin walls.  
“Wrap it up Di Angelo, its time to get going.” Nico recognised the voice of the policeman who told him of the up coming punishment ringing through the silence. He sighed, grabbing the outrageous violet bag, not sparing a glance at Jason so as not to delay his leave, and stepped out into the corridor.  
  
  
__________________  
  
  
  
The ride from Long Island to his family home went by far quicker than he would have liked.   
  
Nico sat in the back of the Mercedes, ignoring the pointed stares from Jules-Alberts through the rear view mirror, whilst fiddling with the electronic cuff around his ankle. It wasn’t heavy like he’d anticipated, but it was an uncomfortable addition to his body that he wasn’t yet used to.  
Nico had never been one for following rules. He wasn’t purposely ‘bad’ or mischievous, he’d just never liked being confined to certain way of living. He often thought it was just the way he was made; he was born in Italy, but never cared much for cooking like his mother and Bianca had. He was raised in a religious and traditional family, yet his first crush was on a dark haired green eyed boy, rather than a pretty Italian girl like his family wanted. His father ran a lucrative law firm, yet rather than going to law school, his only talents were in art and music. It was like his DNA _wanted_ to contradict things, make his life more difficult than it ever needed to be.  
  
This was the exact reason he was dreading his time on house arrest.  
  
Sure, Nico wasn’t one for going out and socialising every weekend, but even the thought of someone trying to make him stay in one place already made him want to rebel.   
When he stepped out of the car and took one glance at the old, empty mansion, he wanted to sprint as far away as he could, and the fact he was _legally not allowed_ to do that only made the option look more appealing.  
  
Instead he just sighed, looking up at the street he had not visited since he left for college. It would be a beautiful road had it not got terrible memories tied to it. He noticed a truck parked in the driveway next door, boxes littered on the lawn, and wondered what lucky soul was going to have him as a neighbour.   
  
The device trapping his ankle beeped the second he stepped foot inside the premises of his old family house, and a sudden weight dropped on Nico’s chest.   
  
This is it.   
  
No going back now.  
  
  
__________________  
  
  
  
Will looked around the small bright room with satisfaction. With his sunshine yellow bedspread, light pouring through the windows and thick medical books scattered on the wooden desk, it was starting to feel more like home.  
  
Thinking of home made a sharp pang twist his chest. Will was a home body, and being over a thousand miles from his sunny little ranch in Texas was painful, even with the incredible opportunities ahead of him. He couldn’t believe he had been offered part time residency in one of New Yorks biggest hospitals after his years of hard work at a college close to home. But even though it was a dream come true, that didn’t stop him from missing his Ma and his younger sisters.  
  
He looked out the window at the dark panelled house next door, beautiful bright flowers of every colour blossoming in the front garden, a sleek black Mercedes parked in the drive. In the distance he could see huge buildings spanning across the horizon under the light of the bright autumn sun. He definitely could get used to the sights of a city, even if the slight breeze might take a while for his warm southern blood to adjust to. He would definitely have to change out of his go to cargo shorts and bright T-shirt if he was going to survive so far North.  
  
He scanned the messy room for his phone, and texted his mum and Kayla, the eldest of his sisters, letting them know he was safe and settled in, sending over a cheesy selfie of his golden curls in the fresh white room.  
  
“WILL” A voice screamed up the stairs followed by thundering footsteps, a flash of dark hair and green eyes, before a warm weight slammed into his body. “Oh my Gods you’re _here,_ I mean Cecil already told me you were here but you’re _actually here_ I cant believe it I’m gonna be living with my best friend!”   
  
“Lou calm down” Will laughed warmly and returned the hug with enthusiasm, picking the girl off her feet and spinning her round.  
  
“Calm down? _Calm down_? Will I haven’t seen you since high school, even when I came home for the holidays you were always drowning in medical texts, and now you’re telling me to calm down?” Lou Ellen blurted out after being placed back onto solid ground,“Excuse me _William_ but I think I'm allowed to be a bit excited. Oh this is going to be so great we are gonna have movie nights and takeaways every weekend - oh and I can not _wait_ to introduce you to everyone-“  
  
“Lou you do realise I’m going to be working right?” Wills sky blue eyes sparkled as he looked down upon his best friend.  
  
“Yes but you’re only working three days a week! That leaves us loads of time, and the hospital is right next to the university so we can have lunch together and I can show you around campus and-“  
  
“Lou he’s just got off a flight and he’s trying to unpack, leave the poor guy alone.” Lou turned round to stick her tongue out at Cecil who had just appeared in the doorway, carrying up one of the last remaining boxes from the lawn.  
  
“Whatever,” Lou singsonged, dropping down onto Will’s freshly made bed with a look of pure happiness on her face, “hey I saw someone going into the creepy Di Angelo house next door when I got back, apparently its that rich guy Hades’ son who goes to our college. I heard from Mitchell, who heard from Piper, who heard from her boyfriend that he’s on _house arrest_.” Her voice lowered conspiratorially to a stage whisper for the last part of the sentence, eyes wide as if telling a scary story.  
  
Cecil suddenly looked interested, eyes going equally as round, a look of awe crossing his face “No way! That hot Italian guy who always wears black and never speaks?”  
  
Lou Ellen chuckled, rolling her eyes, “Thats the one! Apparently he broke Bryce Lawrence’s jaw.”  
  
Cecil (to Wills horror) beamed at this, “Nice! That guy is such a jerk-“  
  
Will cleared his throat, bored with watching this rally between his two friends,”As interesting as this sounds, can we pause the criminal chat and get some food? I am starving.”  
  
Lou Ellen jumped up in excitement, “Lets order pizza! Hey you don’t start for another couple of weeks right Will?” Before waiting for a reply, the girl carried on chatting, “Oh I know we’ll invite people over and have a little house warming party! I’ll buy some wine, and Cecil if you get-  
  
“Pizza sounds great.” Wills interrupted, smiling brightly at his maybe slightly crazy best friend.  
  
Maybe being away from home won't be too bad after all.  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico faces his first week on house arrest, and Will is easily distracted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thanks so much to everyone who commented and left kudos on my first chapter I am so grateful!
> 
> This chapter may be a bit slow but I just wanted to establish a bit more of a backstory before jumping straight in, so bare with me! There is a bit of Will/Nico interaction towards the end!
> 
> Enjoy

The house was cold and dark when Nico stepped inside. He shuddered, looking around cautiously as if waiting for a ghost to jump out and scare him. He shook his head, and chuckling humourlessly to himself, _pull yourself together, since when have you been scared of anything?  
_ Nothing had changed since the last time he’d been home, the house even smelt the same as it had when he and Bianca first moved there.  
  
Maria Di Angelo - Nico’s mother - had grown irreversibly ill when he was only 5 years old. At the time, he didn’t understand what was going on, and the regret of everything he never said to her still tormented him to this day.  
All he had now were distant flashes, warm brown eyes glittering as melodic laughter rang out like bells. Delicious smells swirling around the warm kitchen as she and Bianca cooked dinner together. Comforting arms lifting him up and swinging him round.  
Bianca tried to carry on the traditions after their mothers death, taking the old Italian lullabies and delicious recipes all the way from their home country to the daunting new city they moved to with a mysterious man who claimed to be their father.  
Although Nico could barely remember his old home, he knew his true place of belonging was in Italy.  
  
He’d grown to love his American childhood house, as even through a haze of misery, it was hard for a 5 year old to stay secluded and cautious for long.  
He and Bianca made so many wonderful memories together under this roof; she had lit up the dark and gloomy halls with her vibrant personality, and looking back at it now, it hurt Nico to realise how much his sister must have been dealing with, as the older sibling with Nico’s entire world in her hands.  
Nico was a mischievous kid, but he’d never shone in the same light as Bianca. She was so full of life.  
Hades shared Nico’s view of the girl, seeing her as the incredible person that she was, so it was no wonder she was always the favourite. Nico idolised her. He remembered clearly his first year in an English speaking school, going around the class, each student in turn telling the others what they wanted to be when they grew up. When Nico’s turn came, his answer was the first word he’d spoken to the class in complete confidence.  
  
“Bianca”  
  
The teacher smiled, thinking the Italian boy had not quite grasped the complexities of the new language just yet, but Nico knew what he was saying; his one goal was to be exactly like his sister.  
  
Nico jogged up the stairs, two at a time, walking straight past the dusty door to his left, and straight into the next one, not even sparing a glance over his shoulder. He’d not been in his sisters room since just before his fourteenth birthday, and he wasn’t about to break the streak now.  
  
He slammed his bedroom door behind him, glancing around and the familiar dark room, band posters littering the walls and a half opened pack of mythomagic cards left untouched on the desk. He bee-lined for the still unmade bed, laughing mirthlessly at the fact his father had not dared to enter his room in the 2 years since he’d left, and dropped unceremoniously onto the black faded sheets, shutting his eyes and his mind to the quiet house around him.  
  
  


______________________

After a short and not particularly restful nap came the dreaded call with Reyna, which consisted mainly of her scolding Nico harshly, as the boy tried half heartedly to defend his case.  
He knew Reyna could look after herself, but he also knew that the one thing that effected the girl was talk regarding her family, so when he heard the rumours Bryce had been spreading about his friend, he didn’t care about the repercussions.  
  
“Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the exact same for me.” He said quickly, finally managing to get a word in between her chastising rants.  
  
There was a brief silence.  
  
“Fair point Di Angelo. You’re not off the hook though, I don’t need you fighting my battles, especially if you’re going to do it so _carelessly_.”  
  
Nico scoffed, “Like you and Jason didn’t act as my personal body guards all through high school after the - erm, ‘accidental outing incident’.”  
  
“Don’t argue with me Nicholas-“  
  
“Nicholas?“  
  
“You know I’m right. You don’t have to act like your own future doesn’t matter, I know your father is a lawyer but that doesn’t mean you can go around making up your own rules."  
  
“Honestly I’m surprised he didn’t try to make it a year rather that six months-“  
  
“You know what I mean Nico,” she sounded frustrated, letting out a long sigh before continuing, her voice significantly softer, “You know I love you _hermano_ , I just don’t approve of your lack of self preservation. You may not believe it but your life matters just as much as everyone else’s, and there are a lot of people who care about you.”  
  
Nico shifted uncomfortably, swapping his phone over to his other hand, “Hey can you bring some of your home made quesadillas when you visit?”  
  
Nico could hear the smile spreading across the girls face, “Did you even have to ask?”  
  


  
______________________

  
The first week on house arrest went like any other break from normality would go. He slept a lot, caught up on Netflix shows he hadn’t had time to watch, called his friends and just did his best to enjoy the much needed alone time.  
  
It was the start of the second week where things started to change. The weekend was over and his friends weren’t around as much to torment him, the novelty of his punishment wearing off completely.  
Nico had always been the type to enjoy his own company, but only when it was on his own terms. Sitting alone in a big house surrounded by nothing but invasive thoughts and memories would be unhealthy for anyone, and he began feeling a strange sense of panicked claustrophobia set in. Even when he lived here he had never spent so much solid time in the house. Sure he was often left alone there what with his father’s busy lifestyle, but he always had Jason or Hazel there with him in those times.  
  
But Hazel was sent to boarding school for her final years of high school, the same time Nico left for college. She insisted that attending a prestigious academy was a dream of hers for many years, but secretly Nico knew she could only handle so much of Hades and Seph without her older brother there by her side. So here he was, wandering aimlessly around the vast halls, desperately trying to distract himself, yet always finding himself heading towards an exit, or, on particularly long nights, standing in front of Bianca’s door, staring at the dark wood before snapping back to whatever sense of reality he had left and heading back into his own room to lie down.  
  
He found sleep harder and harder to cling onto as the days went by, and one particularly restless night, he found himself slamming his bedroom window open, gasping for air before setting himself onto the cold floor, raven hair grasped between his shaking hands.  
  
With a laboured breath, he noticed his hands itching to be used, and dragged his old guitar out from under the bed. It wasn’t shiny and new like the one he took to college, but he smiled as olive fingers ran up the dusk covered surface, brushing lightly against the strings, then cringing at the out of tune hums that hit his ears.  
  
Singing was the one thing Nico had to remind him of his mother. Bianca was never a great singer, so when he was old enough to join in with her shaky renditions of their childhood lullabies before bed time, she would gasp and take his face between her tiny hands.  
  
 _“You are so talented piccolo! Promise me you’ll keep on singing! I’m so proud of you Neeks.”_  
  
Nico would glow with pride each time his sister praised him, so after a while he began singing lullabies to her instead, and it was Bianca who bought him his first guitar for his 12th birthday.  
  
He played every day since then, trying desperately to will his small fingers to pluck out his favourite tunes, starting out with the melodic verses that his mother sang in his distant memories, moving onto Green Day and Sleeping with Sirens as he became an older teen, until finally his hard work won him a scholarship to his current university, earning a full ride to study guitar, song writing and music theory.  
  
Tuning the old guitar quickly by ear, he soon found his fingers strumming familiar melodies, as if on autopilot, and the sweet sounds of Italian love songs filled the room.  
  
His hands finally stopped shaking.  
  
  
  
______________________

  
Will settled in to his new routine very quickly. Every morning he rose with the sun, putting on his bright orange trainers and going for a run in the early sunlight. After this he’d eat lunch in his new kitchen, then wander into the city to meet Lou Ellen and Cecil after their day of classes. They had insisted on taking the poor small town boy around all the obvious sights, which he didn’t complain about too much, secretly enjoying bustle and noise not often found in his home town.  
He met some of their friends, who lived on campus at the college, and got on very well with Piper, a pretty girl with dark choppy hair, and Mitchell, a very energetic guy with curly locks that bounced excitedly with each word he said.  
  
In the evenings, he would sit in his room, the sound of distant traffic spilling through the open window as he poured over medical text books until his eyes could no longer stay open.  
  
Will liked routine. And he enjoyed this particular timetable very much, until one evening, a week or so after he’d moved in, everything shifted slightly.  
  
He fell into the chair by his desk, a grin lingering on his face from some joke Lou made a few moments earlier, that had Cecil scowling and Will positively cackling. He opened the window as usual, breathing in the cool evening air, before setting to work.  
  
He’d barely read one chapter of his latest research, when he heard it.  
  
An angelic, soft melody drifted through his window, a husky, but equally beautiful voice blending perfectly with the chords. Will’s head snapped up as his eyes flittered toward the sound, trying to find the source somewhere in the darkness outside.  
  
The voice sounded male, and quite young, maybe around his own age, but the emotion laced into the tune was unlike anything he’d ever heard. It was stunning but so painful, that Will found it hard to believe someone so young could hold so much feeling in his voice, as if they’d lived 10 lives. Felt the woes, the joys, the experiences of someone far beyond their years.  
  
It took the blonde boy a good minute of listening - holding statue still so as not to disturb the sound - to realise the lyrics weren’t in any language he recognised. Something European, maybe?  
  
He vaguely remembered Cecil mentioning something about an Italian neighbour and tried to fit the words into his non existent knowledge of that language. He couldn’t be sure. Will might be on his way to becoming a great doctor, but he was utterly hopeless at anything outside of the medical field.  
  
He crept slowly towards the window, squinting in the darkness, trying to adjust to the lack of light. After a few seconds he realised the sound was coming from the house next door, and he could just about make out a dim light shining through an open window across from his own.  
  
In a sudden burst of confidence, leant against the window ledge and half shouted into the night,  
  
“Hey, what language is that?”  
  
Immediately the calming sound stopped, as if being paused mid sentence, and the deafening silence that followed made Will panic. He found himself missing the boys voice already, so he quickly tried to reprimand his mistake.  
  
“Oh - no I’m sorry it just sounded so beautiful and I wondered-“  
  
He found his own voice cut off this time, flinching slightly as the window across from him slammed shut with such force, the noice echoed into the dark night.  
  
Will stood there for a few seconds, wrapping his head around what had just happened. Slowly he sat back down in his chair, staring down at the pages of complex writing that now looked almost foreign to him. Blue eyes squeezing shut tightly, the blonde boy tried to rip his thoughts away from the music he had just heard, and back onto his work, but the more he tried to concentrate, the more he found his focus drifting over to the window without his permission, head full of unanswered questions.  
  
  
  
  
______________________

Will got no work done the next day. He didn’t understand why the events of last night were playing so heavily on his mind. He found himself zoning out, deep in thought even during dinner with his two friends after their long day of classes.  
  
“So anyway I told Leo if he doesn’t shut up about that new barista in starbucks I will have to rip his - Will? Are you even listening to me?”  
  
“Huh? Yes. Guy in your engineering class. Annoying. Something about coffee.” Will snapped his eyes to meet suspicious green ones, watching him from across the table.  
  
“Gods Will what is wrong with you today? I haven’t seen you this distracted since you had a crush on that weird emo exchange student in high school.”  
  
Will felt colour rising to his face as he spluttered defensively, “What! I did _not_ have a crush-“  
  
“Save it Solace, tell me whats up.”  
  
Will hesitated for a second before pushing some food around his plate, a nonchalant voice rising to his throat, “So you said you know that boy who lives next door?”  
  
If Lou was suspicious at her friends too calm voice, she didn’t show it, “Oh, house arrest guy? Yeah I don’t know him personally but I’m pretty sure he’s close with some of our friends. I don’t think he goes out much, so I’ve never met him.” Lou only now narrowed her eyes suspiciously, “Why?”

“What? No reason. Just curious to know what kind of problems my new neighbour might be giving me.” Will tried to throw in a light hearted tone to his voice.  
  
Lou laughed, “I’m pretty sure he’s harmless. Music student with a reckless over protective streak. Nothing to worry about.”  
  
Music student? That explained why the song he played was so intricately effortless. He definitely had a lot of potential. Will frowned, wondering what lead some quiet artsy type kid into beating up some high school has-been.  
  
Excusing himself from the table, Will jogged upstairs to get started with his work. He only had a few days remaining before he began at the hospital, in true Solace style, he wanted to be as prepared as humanly possible.  
  
If Will had been worried about not hearing the angelic voice again (which he had been. All day), he hadn’t needed to. The moment he opened his window, that same melodic voice graced his ears, drifting across the dark space between them and surrounding Will in some unknown comfort that he didn’t realise he was missing.  
  
He wasn’t going to make the same mistake as yesterday though, so he lay on top of his soft sheets, closing his eyes and just listened, letting intricate tones swirl around his room until he fell into a deep, restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to carry this on longer but I don't think I'd have been able to stop if I did haha.
> 
> Hope this was ok, please let me know down in the comments what you think, or whether you have any great ideas about where to go with this fic! and leave kudos if you enjoyed it <3
> 
> I'm really enjoying writing this so the next chapter should be up soon!
> 
> Follow my tumblr @kingof-shadows
> 
> E


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nico sees an angel, and Will is stubborn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys welcome back
> 
> I'm so grateful for all the wonderful comments I have already received on this fic, and can't believe its only my third day of writing it and we're already on chapter 3 (!!!!)
> 
> A little more back story for each character here, but finally some interaction between the two boys yay!
> 
> Please let me know what you think at the end,
> 
> Enjoy!

Nico wasn’t too sure why he slammed the window that night. More than anything, the shock of someone invading his private bubble after a week of nothing but his own company almost scared him; he’d forgotten other people still existed nearby.  
There was something incredibly intimate about the Italian songs he sang to himself, and his first thoughts were laced with anger and frustration that he’d accidentally let some stranger hear him in such a vulnerable state. Even Hazel had never heard him sing anything other than his usual punk pop style.  
  
Yet at the same time, there was something in the strangers’ voice that made him want to sing to them again. There was no judgement, or pity - and there was nothing Nico hated more than _pity_ \- rather, there was a delicate curiosity in the boys tone, as if he saw through Nico’s heavily protected walls, and _still_ wanted to know more when he glimpsed the mess that lay beyond them.  
  
He knew this idea was too good to be true, and found himself scolding himself for thinking so deeply about the actions of a nosey neighbour. But that didn’t stop him from opening his window the following night before beginning to play again.  
  
Nico had two windows in his room. As it lay on the corner of the house, one of them depicted the street out in front of the building, and the other looked straight out into the side of the house next door. Deciding quickly that he wasn’t ready to reveal too much to this stranger just yet, he opened the window overlooking the dark road before letting his fingers find the familiar chords, reprimanding himself further for even thinking the person would be listening out again.  
  
He sang until his fingers ached and his voice broke out of fatigue, and relished in the first calm feeling he’d felt since arriving back home.  
  
No voice graced the night air this time, and Nico found himself oddly disappointed, but when he looked out the other window, he saw through the dim light that the window across from him was open, so he figured someone must have heard him. It felt strangely nice sharing a part of himself with someone who knew nothing about him.  
  
When the house grew silent again, the boy felt the loneliness start to creep back in, and spent most of the long night staring up at a crack in the ceiling, wondering when it would be a acceptable time to call Jason.  
  
Nico felt like days passed lying in that position, head swimming with blurry half formed thoughts, until his eyes adjusted to the first signs of a soft orange glowing light. He grabbed his phone, groaning when the intense light from the device hit his face. Just past 6am.  
  
Nico flung himself onto his front, growling in frustration at the sheer stupidity that he could be _this tired_ and his mind still refused to let him sleep. Talk about self destructive.   
  
He made a mental note not to tell Reyna about his night time schedule.  
  
Deciding that if sleep wasn’t going to find him in the dark, it definitely wasn’t going to now the sun had started to rise, so the small boy pushed himself up lazily, looking out over the street below, lit dimly by the warm glow of sunrise.   
  
Nico had seen a surprisingly large amount of sunrises in his lifetime.   
  
After his sister died, he didn’t sleep for weeks. Even in the years after that, he could never properly feel rested. He would lie in bed squeezing his eyes shut and praying for some sort of relief from the world around him.   
  
Not long after, Hazel came to live with him and his father.   
  
At first, the young, fourteen year old Nico lashed out, yelling that he didn’t want Hazel. He wanted Bianca.   
  
How could his father do this to him?   
  
Sisters weren’t interchangeable.  
  
Through all the stress he put Hazel through, it surprised him that the younger girl kept coming back, warm golden eyes trying desperately to figure out what Nico wanted, what he _needed_.   
  
She found him one morning, a month or two after her first arrival, sitting in bed at the crack of dawn staring blankly at the wall.  
  
 _“Come with me.”  
  
Her soft voice tinged with a slight southern drawl made him jump out of his skin, but he didn’t protest when her tiny dark hand found his own, and she pulled him up out of bed with all her strength, leading him outside the house onto the front lawn.  
  
“Look.”  
  
Her delicate fingers left Nico’s own pale hand, and she pointed up to the sky. The older boy followed her gaze upwards, and he let his eyes take in the beautiful, mesmerising ensemble of colours that washed over the horizon as the sun slowly began to rise.  
  
He turned to Hazel, and seeing the warm glow bouncing off her beautiful skin, he realised that she shone with a special kind of light too. Not quite the same as Bianca’s. But equally as beautiful.  
  
He smiled for what felt like the first time in forever._  
  
Ever since that night, Hazel and Nico would watch the sun rise each morning without fail, until finally the tired boy could relax enough to sleep.  
  
Looking out into the pale orange sky now, he found himself missing his sister. Not missing her like he missed Bianca, in long dull aches of pain, but in a sudden sharp realisation of how much Hazel meant to him.  
  
The dark haired boy's reminiscent thoughts were rudely interrupted when a bright shape dragged Nico’s attention down onto the road below him.  
  
He froze.   
  
Nico wasn’t sure how he’d missed the figure before, as the man let off a blindingly bright aura that put the rising sun to shame.   
  
Golden blonde curls bounced messily around the persons face, as they jogged lightly right past Nico’s house.  
  
The dark eyed boy took in the figure before him, seeing bronze sun kissed skin that no one from New York could _possibly_ achieve. Defined muscles ran up his long arms and down lean, strong legs, until Nico caught sight of the _gods awful_ pair of bright orange sneakers donning the mans’ feet, and he snorted, breaking himself out of the revery.  
  
Since when did this tall, tanned, _awfully dressed_ male model live so close to Nico, and why was he only just finding out about it now?  
  
The raven haired boy let his eyes follow the figure lazily until the blonde was completely out of sight.  
  
Ok maybe he’d have to get into the habit of watching the sunrise every morning again.  


  
  
______________________

  
  


The days passed slowly, day merging into night, the only real method of keeping time Nico had was his song playing in the dark evenings, and watching the ‘angel that strayed from the gods’ light’ on his painfully early jog each morning.  
  
Nico didn’t feel guilty for watching the perfect stranger each day at sunrise. He figured if he was going to be locked away for so long, he may at least find something to enjoy each day. Anyway, seeing as he was sharing his music with some random person, he figured he’d earned his little insight into another strangers routine.  
  
The guy looked around Nico’s age, maybe a little bit older and definitely significantly taller. But he definitely didn’t go to school in the city, Nico would have _known_ if he’d seen the man before.   
His bronze complexion indicated at a different state of origin, maybe California? Oh yeah this boy _definitely_ looked like he knew his way round a surf board.   
  
So what was he doing here?   
  
It didn’t slip past Nico’s attention that the boys eyes flickered up to the dark house each morning, blinding the raven haired boy with a flash of a brilliant blue, brighter than he thought was possible from anywhere other than the sky on a summers day.  
He was thankful his room was dark enough to stop the stranger from noticing Nico watching him intently, but his cheeks coloured each time all the same, wondering what had happened that resulted in the beautiful mans darting attention over to his corner of the house.  
  
  
It surprised him that it took till the end of his second week indoors - a good few days after his first sighting of the beautiful stranger - for his father to call him.   
  
Nico had been enjoying his Sunday, lounging lazily as the sun began to set, playing Mario kart on the wii hooked up to the tv at the end of his bed, still grinning from the conversation he’d had with Jason earlier, where the blonde boy filled him in on what had been going on in his absence. Nico discovered that Bryce was finally back at lessons, but still badly bruised and barely recognisable, Percy Jackson was nagging Jason _every day_ to let him come with him to see Nico as soon as they were allowed, whining about how he didn’t find out about the incident until after Nico had left already, and surprisingly, Leo had become lovesick after going into Starbucks and accidentally pouring scolding hot coffee all over the pretty new barista.  
  
His phone buzzing loudly broke the boy out of his thoughts, and Nico paused the game quickly, growing tired of his easy wins anyway, and wondered which one of his friends was trying to annoy him next.  
  
Dark eyes grew wide in sheer horror as he read the name that lit up the screen, and he held his phone gingerly at arms length, as if it were a bomb seconds away from exploding.  
  
With a deep breath, he swiped to confirm the call, slowly and unwillingly holding the device up to his ear.  
  
“Father.” Nico’s voice was cold to his own ears.  
  
“You’ve really done it this time haven’t you Niccolo. I don’t even know what to say to you.”  
  
Nico huffed out a humourless laugh, thinking of the entire 2 weeks his father had to mull this inevitable conversation over, “Yeah well you called me, so you better think of something quick.”  
  
“Nico please.” There was a slight pause, “I want to understand I really do, but you’re making it incredibly difficult-“  
  
“Oh I’m making it difficult?” The boy scoffed, “Are you fucking kidding me? Gods you really like putting all the blame on me don’t you. You always have.”  
  
Hades sucked in a breath before continuing, voice measured, “I have never blamed you for any of this. I just do not understand your choices Nico. I just wish-“  
  
“Wish it had been me instead of Bianca right?”  
  
“Don’t you _dare_ say such a thing, after everything I’ve done for you."  
  
“And what have you done for me dad?” Nico’s voice was climbing dangerously higher, “You were never here when I needed you so what did you expect?”  
  
There was a silence from the other end of the call and Nico knew he had crossed a line, but he wouldn’t regret telling his father the truth, even if it wasn’t something the older man wanted to hear.  
  
He broke his fathers silence, voice returning to its usual impassive tone, “I hope you’re enjoying your nice little holiday, father. I wouldn’t want to ruin it for you. Say hi to Seph for me.”  
  
He hung up the call, chucking his phone towards the floor and muffling a frustrated cry into his pillow.  
  
After a while, he got up and turned the TV off with so much force, the device nearly fell face forward off the low stand. Nico could not bare to listen to that stupid joyful Mario music any longer.  
Instead, hands shaking so much he forgo’d the guitar leaning against the wall, he grabbed his discarded phone and plugged it into the speakers sitting on the bed side table, putting his music on shuffle, turning up the opening notes of _Asking Alexandria_ so loud he couldn’t hear his thoughts even if he wanted to.  
  
He flung open the window facing the road, climbing half out so as to sit on the ledge, grabbed an old forgotten pack of cigarettes out of his bedside draw, flicked his lighter impatiently, and relished in the sharp taste at the base of his throat as he breathed in deeply.  
  
  
  
______________________

  
  


The day had finally come. Wills final day of freedom before he started work in the hospital early the next morning. His gut stirred with a mixture of nerves and excitement.  
  
He’d wanted to be a doctor for as long as he could remember. He had a clear memory of playing in the yard with his two sisters, when the youngest of the three - Willow - fell onto her wrist and began to cry. Instantly Will was fussing over her, carrying his little sibling inside see their mother and father.  
  
He remembered even more clearly the red puffy circles under his mothers eyes, as she quickly stood up and gave her children an unconvincing watery smile.  
  
 _“Mama whats wrong are you hurt?”  
  
“No sweetie I’m ok, what happened to Willow?”  
  
“She fell outside. Wheres dad?”  
  
Naomi smiled sadly as she took Willows wrist between her warm hands, kissing the pain better, hesitating slightly before speaking in a slow, soft tone, “He’s not here at the moment. Well he might not be here for a while ,but he told me that he loves you very much."  
  
Will felt confusion tugging his brows down into a scowl, “What do you mean? Did he hurt you is that why you’re sad? Is your wrist hurt like Willows?  
  
His mother knelt down, warm light brown eyes shining as she looked down at him, “Not exactly. Daddy didn’t hurt mama’s wrist, but he did hurt her heart a little bit."  
_  
 _This only confused the blonde boy more. “I don’t understand. Is it broken? Can I fix it like you fixed Willow just now? Should you go and see a doctor?”  
  
The woman hummed kindly and smiled widely, “It might be a little bit trickier than a bruise, but I’m sure you can fix it.”  
  
Will beamed with pride at this, “I will be your doctor ma, don’t worry you’ll be fixed in no time.”  
_  
Ever since that sunny day, he had felt the growing need to protect his loved ones, and gradually that need grew to cover his friends, and even people he barely knew. Will was a fixer. He loved knowing that he was doing everything in his power to help people.  
  
And now, the evening before his first real shift, he wished with all his heart that his Ma and sisters were here to share his excitement with him, just like they had done along the way.  
  
Will decided on an early night that night, opening his window out of habit after days of listening to the melodic sounds coming from next door until he finally dozed off, thinking tonight was going to be no different, and feeling thankful he had something so calming to listen to before the most important day of his life.  
  
The sound that did grace his ears however, was not what he anticipated or wanted.  
  
The night was silent for a minute as Will set back into his bed, waiting for the soft guitar chords to begin, when the loudest most offensive music rattled inside his brain, making him sit bold upright, taking in a deep, seething breath.  
  
Oh no. No no no. Will did not spend years of studying and working hard, for it all to be ruined by some kind of emo screamo. Absolutely not. Why on the _one night_ that was important to him, could his neighbour not continue gracing his ears with soft lullabies. Why _today?_  
  
The strange fondness he began to build up over the past week for the stranger next door suddenly shattered into a million pieces, as Will marched over to the window, full lips turned down stubbornly at the edges.  
  
“Excuse me.” Ok maybe his polite assertive tone wasn’t going to work in this situation. Will took in a deep breath before shouting at the top of his lungs, “EXCUSE ME DEATH METAL BOY.”  
  
The music quietened significantly, but didn’t subside completely.  
  
“What.” A hoarse voice drifted over from the front of the house, not too far away from Will. He thought he could hear a slight accent weaved into the word, but shook that thought off as he answered.  
  
“I’m trying to sleep. I have my first shift at the hospital and I would appreciate it if you would turn that racket- wait,” Wills face wrinkled as an unpleasant smell wafted towards him “are you smoking?”  
  
“Whats it to you.” Yes there was _definitely_ an accent there.  
  
“Smoking is incredibly bad for your health, and doing it out of a window on the second floor of a house no less? Do you have a death wish?” Will couldn’t help the stern doctor tone that came over his voice.  
  
The boy laughed, and Will ignored the stirring deep in his stomach that the sound caused, “Maybe I do. Go to bed nerd, save the doctor talk for people who actually ask for your help.”  
  
Will frowned, lingering longer in the window frame than he’d later admit. “Whatever Death boy. Please don’t fall and end up in hospital on my first shift.”  
  
The low chuckle that followed made Will’s head spin. Who the hell did that guy think he was?  
  
He shut the window loud enough to ensure his neighbour heard, and pulled himself under the duvet, head swimming with frustration and the melodic sound of that boys laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go then guys, the first real interaction between them and Nico's first sight of Will!! I hope this chapter is ok, please let me know if you have any feedback or ideas you want me to incorporate!
> 
> Please comment and kudos!!
> 
> Follow my tumblr @kingof-shadows
> 
> E


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nico is sassy and Will is a bit stunned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!
> 
> Not gonna say much at the start here as its quite a long chapter, but finally some more interaction between our favourite pair!!
> 
> Enjoy

It came as no surprise to Nico that he couldn’t sleep that night. What did come as a surprise, however, was the main culprit for his sleep deprivation. He had spent plenty of nights chasing his thoughts in circles, as the words his father spoke coldly to him echoed in his skull, and he figured tonight would be no different. But the words that kept his mind swimming were that of a stern, bossy quality, with a southern drawl lacing the strangers tone.  
  
No doubt it had been the same voice as the one he heard a few nights before, the voice of the unknown neighbour he had been pouring his heart out to through his songs, the one he kept the window open for. Nico wasn’t sure why, but the fact he’d made that stranger angry made him smile. Maybe it was the lack of human contact getting to him, but he wanted to hear the clear frown in the man’s voice over and over again.  
  
The raven haired boy shook his head as if this action alone with get his thoughts flying out of his head. _Don’t be stupid Nico._ _Why would a doctor, someone with a real career want anything to do with you? He probably just doesn’t want to get ill from second hand cigarette smoke.  
  
_ But something about the interaction held his mind from straying elsewhere. It’s not like Nico had no one who looked out for him, he had Hazel, Jason, Reyna and a few more friends who were constantly telling him to quit smoking and look after himself, but the fact the same words came out of a total strangers mouth made it hit differently. Half of him wanted to listen to the words; please the strange man by quitting instantly and starting a new life as a freaking personal trainer or something, but the other, much stronger half of him wanted to piss his neighbour off even more, just to hear that stubborn voice again.  
  
The jumbled thoughts eventually gave way into into a shallow, restless sleep, broken instantly by the first sign of light reaching the room. Nico got up to watch the sun rise, and figured if his body made him wake up at this time, he may as well reward it by watching the mesmerising sunny man on his daily run.  
  
Nico sat there for a good half an hour, dark eyes flicking wildly around the slowly brightening view in front of him, frowning when he still didn’t glimpse the sunshine golden curls he was looking for.  
  
Had he missed him? Or maybe the man was late?  
  
No, that didn’t seem right, the guy ran at first light every single morning without fail, and Nico didn’t regard him as someone who would break habit. Black eyebrows knitted themselves together, creasing the pale olive toned skin of his forehead, and he tried his best not to feel disappointed.

  
  
Nico spent the whole day feeling slightly on edge. As if waiting for something to happen that he wasn’t completely sure of. Not seeing his favourite jogger that morning had really thrown off the entire day, much more that the boy would like to admit.  
  
He tried to distract himself, walking up and down the stairs that ran through the centre of the house, checking his phone every few minutes as if his friends weren’t all in classes. A few hours of this tiring routine and he nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone actually buzzed.   
  
**From: Jason 5:26pm**  
 _Hey dude has it been a month yet I’m getting sick of no one telling me to shut up._  
  
Nico felt the corners of his mouth tug up into a smile.  
  
 **To: Jason 5:27pm**  
 _Shut up  
_  
 **From: Jason 5:27pm**  
 _Love you too bro_  
  
 **From: Jason 5:29pm**  
 _Hey so what have you been up to?? Do you miss me???_  
  
Nico rolled his eyes, smile widening.  
  
 **To: Jason 5.30pm**  
 _ur such a dork. nm rly_  
  
 **From: Jason 5:31**  
 _You know I get confused when you type like that Nico come on :(_  
  
Nico sighed deeply, shaking his head, when his phone buzzed again.  
  
 **From: Jason 5:32**  
 _Have you been looking after yourself? Are you eating? Have you been outside?_  
  
 **To: Jason 5:34**  
 _Yeh mom im fine calm down. And ill go outside tmmr i promise_  
  
 **From: Jason 5.35**  
 _Don’t make me come over there and drag you outside! And make sure you’re drinking enough water._  
  
Nico grinned, turning his phone off. Jason had always been the mother hen of the group, and as much as the smaller boy protested to being told off, he did secretly like that Jason cared so much about his wellbeing.  
  
He decided to actually open up his laptop for the first time since getting home, and take a look at the work he was meant to be doing. He spent an hour or so looking over the music theory pages, his eyes straining to read the tiny, jumbled letters, before giving up and looking over the term assignment for his writing and guitar classes. There were a number of options for practical projects he could do for extra credit in the class, none of which really concerned him, as even with his lack of attendance and nonchalant attitude, Nico knew he had the best grades in all his music classes. His eyes stopped, however, on one of the project titles.  
  
 _Write a song, incorporating one or more instruments inspired by your favourite artist, but with elements of your own personal style._

Nico’s mind whirred, thoughts dancing with possibilities as he read over the task. Maybe a bit of extra credit wouldn’t hurt, and hey, it’s not like he was lost for time at the moment.  
  
His olive hands had barely grasped for the guitar resting on the end of the bed when a light across from him caught his eye. A dim lamp in the next door bedroom was on, window ajar, a figure moving around in the new shadows of the early evening.  
  
Nico jumped up, all thoughts of his guitar forgotten, before carefully opening his own window, before sitting back on his bed, losing sight of the figure opposite him.  
  
A sudden thrill of energy rushed through the Italian boy’s body, and he found himself nervous to initiate conversation.  
  
 _Stop being dumb Nico, its just a random guy. You’ve never been nervous speaking to guys before.  
  
_ Clearing his throat carefully, Nico felt words leave his mouth before he could think too much about what he was saying.  
  
“Hey, nerd how was your first shift?”  
  
There was silence for a while, in which Nico’s face flushed in embarrassment and he decided if he were to have any superpower, it would be the ability to open up the ground beneath his feet and disappear. Forever. _Pull yourself together Di Angelo._  
  
After the torturous half minute of waiting, a tired voice replied to him.  
  
“Might have been better if your music hadn’t kept me up, death boy.”  
  
Nico grinned. The southern twang to the strangers voice awakening tiny butterflies deep inside his stomach. Nico pushed the feeling down. _Get a hold of yourself.  
  
_ “What, you don’t like the dulcet tones of Danny Worsnop?” His voice was light and innocent.  
  
“Worsnop sounds like a disease. And I would know, trust me.”  
  
Nico fought to stop the grin taking over half of his face, and waited till he regained control over his traitorous body before replying.  
  
“So what do you like listening to then Mr sunshine and rainbows? Let me guess.. top forty pop music?”  
  
Nico knew from the embarrassed silence that he was spot on in his assumption, and for some reason, that only made him grin wider.  
  
“Will.” The voice was quieter this time, and the husky undertone made Nico’s head spin.  
  
“Will I what? You know if you’re asking me out you might wanna be a bit clearer.” Nico let his voice drip with sarcasm, wondering where his sudden overriding confidence came from.  
  
The voice opposite him spluttered frantically, “I- I wasn’t- I mean I’m not-“  
  
“Use your words, sunshine.”  
  
“ _Will_.” The man let out a frustrated growl that Nico would _definitely not_ be replaying in his head for the next week, “-I mean my name is Will. Will Solace.”  
  
Nico let the lazy grin stay firmly on his face, relishing in the reaction he got out of the boy. _Will Solace.  
  
_ “Well then Will Solace, whats a little country boy like you doing in the big city? Are you lost?”  
  
To his surprise, and utter delight, Will scoffed, the stubborn tone that Nico was growing to love adorning his voice again,  
  
“Well you don’t sound like you’re from New York yourself, death boy. You lost too?”  
  
Nico let his dark eyebrows raise, and he found himself leaning onto his knees, inching closer to the window, as if magnetically drawn to this strange boy. _Fair play, Solace._  
  
“Don’t call me death boy.” He retorted, deciding quickly to steer the conversation away from his origin, to avoid the beginning of awkward, unwanted questions.  
  
“What should I call you then?” If Nico didn’t know any better, he would have thought Mr sunshine and rainbows was almost _flirting_ with him. But luckily, he did know better, and he decided that this seriously boy-deprived two weeks was already getting to his head.  
  
Don’t misunderstand, Nico was not a relationship kind of guy. But that didn’t mean he disregarded all the normal things a guy his age would do on the odd occasion Jason managed to succeed in dragging him along to a party. Especially since Jason told his girlfriend about Nico’s sexual preferences and Piper had decided to make it her lifes ambition to set the poor boy up. So far nothing much had come out of it except a few fun nights, even more untouched phone numbers, and an overwhelming desire to smack his best friends girlfriend until she left him alone.   
Ever since his catastrophic crush on his (now) friend Percy Jackson back in camp, Nico had made an effort never to get too attached, and _feelings_ were an absolute no go.  
  
“I don’t give my name out to strangers.” The reply was lame, he knew, but he really needed to reel it in a bit, this was his _neighbour_ for gods’ sake.  
  
“Oh come _on_ , I told you my name. And I won’t stop calling you death boy until I have something else to replace it.” There was an audible pout in the strangers’ voice, and Nico found himself wanting to open up to the man against his better judgement. The words slipped out before he could stop them.  
  
“Nico. Nico Di Angelo.” He silently scolded himself for letting that slip.  
  
“Nico Di Angelo.” The other boy tested out his name, letting that southern twang wrap around the syllables. Nico’s stomach flipped at the sound, mouth going dry.  
  
It was silent for a moment before the Italian boy managed to _get a grip_ on himself, and choked out the next words.  
  
“Yeah. Yes ok well.. I’ve got to go Solace I’ll talk to you later bye.” The words sped out of his mouth at top speed in a jumble of sounds, as he shot up, slamming the window shut, then sliding to the floor out of sheer embarrassment. He distantly heard a voice reply softly through the glass.  
  
“Bye, Nico.”  
  
  
___________________   
  
  
  
Nico Di Angelo. So it was the house arrest boy he’d been talking to, he recognised that surname from brief conversations with Lou and Cecil about the quiet neighbouring house.   
  
Will had been exhausted after his first shift at the hospital, everything was so new and overwhelming, and he wanted _so badly_ not to mess up. This of course only resulted in completely draining every last drop of energy available in the blonde boys’ body, but it was worth it.  
  
Although, somehow, his conversation with Nico managed to tap into a store of adrenaline Will didn’t think could possibly exist after a day like that, even without his morning run.  
  
But it had.  
  
Will didn’t know what it was about the deep, mysterious accent, and the sarcastic mocking tone that he found so _infuriatingly_ tantalising, yet he was drawn to it like a moth to light.   
  
He fell asleep as soon as blonde curls hit the pillow that night.   


  
___________________   
  
  
  
Will tried to allow himself a lie in the next morning, but his body woke at first light just as usual, so he headed out on his morning route, a mixture of relief and disappointment that he wasn’t working today.  
  
The sun was surprisingly warm as he stepped out of the front door, orange trainers on, and hair shining in the early morning light. He set off jogging down the road, blue eyes flickering up without his permission to the dark house next door. Or more specifically to the top corner of the house where he knew Nico Di Angelo resided.  
  
Will wondered absently why it was always so dark and quiet within those walls, when a movement in the top right hand window nearly sent him tumbling into the tarmac. It was too dark for his bright eyes to figure out the shape, but there was _definitely_ someone there.  
  
He shook his hair out of his tanned face, trying to ignore the heat that rose up inside him at the possibilities of _who_ might have seen him, and jogged further down the road.  
  
Upon returning back home, mind finally on something other than his infuriating new neighbour, he found Lou and Cecil waiting for him in the kitchen.  
  
“Here he is! Our very own doctor!” Lou Ellen’s emerald eyes glowed with pride as her best friend walked through the door, tanned skin glowing with a thin layer of sweat.  
  
Will smiled brightly, feeling his face flush slightly at the attention, “I’m not a doctor yet.” He rolled his eyes, pleased all the same, “But it was amazing. Tiring, really tiring, but amazing.” The intensity of Will’s smile lit up the room and only grew wider when he saw his friends grinning back at him.   
  
“That’s great man, we are so happy for you! Hey have you called your mom yet I’m sure she’s dying to hear all about it.” Cecil’s words wiped the smile clean off the blue eyed boys face, panic crossing his features.  
  
“Oh shoot. I got so distracted last night - I mean because I was so tired!” He recovered quickly, “I totally forgot to call her, oh gods she’s gonna be so mad.”  
  
His friends both chucked at this, shoo-ing Will upstairs to phone his family, Cecil shouting up to him,   
  
“Tell Kayla I say hi.” Will could hear the smirk in his voice, along with the indignant protests Lou made at the comment, and the teasing slap she must have planted on Cecil’s arm.  
  
“Cecil stop hitting on my sister she’s only _seventeen_ -“ As Will glanced back to shout over his shoulder, something caught his eye.  
  
In the landing before his new bedroom, there was a large bay window looking out over their own back garden, and giving them access to view selections of the neighbouring gardens too.  
  
Although the garden to the side of his own was utterly beautiful, stunning plants bordering the space, rich colours nearly blinding the boy, this was not the sight that stopped him in his tracks.  
  
In the centre of the garden, sitting on a sun lounger next to a stunning, glittering pool, was the single most beautiful person Will had ever laid eyes on.  
  
The figure was so dark, Will would have overlooked the sight, letting it blend into the shadows had the light of the day not been so brilliantly bright. The blonde boy let his eyes take in dark messy hair, falling in an olive toned face. The person was hunched over, looking down at a sleek guitar held lazily in the boy’s grip, and but Will could still notice the sharp cut of defined cheek bones, and a delicate jaw line.  
  
He let his eyes drift down over a baggy T-shirt and the most painfully tight black skinny jeans - that made a lump form in Will’s throat, - before his slow mind finally pieced together the guitar, the look of the exotic boy, and the garden he was sitting in, and he realised just who this person was.  
  
“Oh my god.” Will didn’t realise the words left his mouth until he heard snickers coming from behind him, and spun wildly to see Lou and Cecil approaching him, half concerned, half amused looks etched on their features.  
  
“What are you doing Solace, I thought you had a heart attack mid sentence- oh..”Lou was the first to reach his side, nudging playfully at her tall friend before her eyes landed on the figure outside, flickered back to Will’s lost expression and put two and two together _far_ quicker than Will ever could have.  
  
“That’s him!” Cecil ran forward excitedly, “That hot Italian boy who’s been put on house arrest!”  
  
“Italian.” Wills voice was quiet and breathless as his eyes locked on the boy that must be Nico, gaze not daring to move.  
  
“Oh my gods Will, you think he’s hot don’t you.” Lou Ellen had an incredibly dangerous glint in her eye.  
  
“Well he is to be fair.” Cecil butted in, indignantly.  
  
Lou scowled at him, before continuing, “I can’t believe you fancy house arrest boy. This is hilarious. I can’t believe I didn’t see this coming I mean he _is_ your type-“  
  
Lou stopped short when Wills bright eyes reluctantly flickered over to hers.  
  
“I do _not_ fancy him. I don’t even know him - _hell_ I don’t even know if he likes boys.”  
  
“Interesting thing to say about someone you _don’t_ fancy…” Cecil muttered thoughtfully.  
  
Will glared at the boy, before turning back to Lou, helplessly.  
  
The girl just scoffed, “Look how tight those skinny jeans are Solace, if that boy’s not gay then I’ll dump Cecil and go out with him myself.”  
  
Cecil looked aghast “Hey!”  
  
Lou rolled her eyes, “Don't worry dumby, I am one hundred percent sure that I’m not his type.”  
  
Will’s mind briefly cast back to the conversation from the night before.  
 _“You know if you’re asking me out you might wanna be a bit clearer.”  
_ What the _hell_ is that meant to mean?  
  
Cecil shook off his insulted look, and glanced closer at the boy that was holding the trios’ attention, “I don’t know… I hear in Europe thats just what the fashion is-”  
  
“I swear to gods Cecil if you make a Gay or European joke I will prevent any further viewing of Legally Blonde."  
  
If possible, Cecil looked even more offended at this statement, “What! But it is the best musical ever made and it brings up some _really good points_ -“  
  
“It is a good musical to be fair.” Lou chimed in.  
  
Will nearly growled in frustration, “Yes I am aware it is a good musical, Laura Bell Bundy is the most talented person alive but this is _not_ helping my situation.”  
  
Lou smirked at him, looking like she’d just won the lottery, “And what _is_ that situation exactly, William?"  
  
Will blanched before feeling his cheeks grow red with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration.  
  
“You know what? No. I’m not having this conversation with you two. I’m going to call my Ma- and no Cecil I will _not_ tell Kayla you say hi- and then we’re going to have a nice relaxing day, and this situation will _never be brought up again._ ”  
  
Will knew he was being over dramatic, but he stropped off to his room anyway, not even justifying a glance back over his shoulder when Lou shouted after him.  
  
“By the way, we’ve invited people over this Friday. I’m pretty sure Piper knows your little crush so you can ask about him then!”  
  
Will groaned as he flung himself onto the bed face first.  
  
He was _so_ screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank SO much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know what you think in the comments, or any ideas you have for this fic!
> 
> Comment and kudos <3
> 
> Follow my tumblr @kingof-shadows
> 
> E


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nico is in denial, and Will makes a mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> This chapter isn't too long and is mainly set up for the next chapter, but I hope you all enjoy it all the same! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter!
> 
> Enjoy

Nico was so caught up in the bright sunlight and music that brightened up his day, he had almost completely forgotten about his embarrassment from the night before. So when he returned to his room as the sun began to set, his heart was not emotionally prepared to hear that southern twang the moment his figure passed through the room.  
  
“You never did tell me what language that was, death boy.”  
  
Nico ducked, sticking his arms out defensively as if ready to single handedly take someone down in hand to hand combat. Nico may have been small, but he was quick and he was _very_ competitive. Upon the realisation that he was _not_ in fact being attacked, the boy blushed faintly, taking his usual spot at the end of the bed, just out of sight from the next door window.  
  
“Are you stalking me Solace?”  
  
“Oh yeah I moved all the way from Texas just to live next door to you.” Nico grinned at the sarcasm in Will’s voice, a sudden rush of warmth growing inside his stomach. Texas? Nico could imagine his faceless new friend shouting orders bossily, and fussing over people in the blinding heat of the southern sun. He found himself leaning forwards, wanting to know more and more about the man until there was nothing left to learn. He shook his head. _Stupid_. Still, Nico couldn’t stop the flirty tone that enveloped his reply.  
  
“I know I’m quite the catch but really thats a bit excessive.” Nico cursed the moment the words left his mouth, and upon hearing the answering splutters he realised he’d probably gone too far with his joke. What was wrong with him? Why was the voice of a man he’d never even _seen_ before making him act like a giddy teenager? _Just because you’re an actual living rainbow doesn’t mean everyone is Nico, shut up._  
  
It was silent for a few seconds, in which the Italian boy could practically feel the tension hovering between the two houses. _There we go, another friendship ruined from my actions. Way to go Di Angelo._ He couldn’t help but cast his mind back to the hopeless conversations he’d had with Percy Jackson at camp back in the prime of his schoolboy crush, and compare them painstakingly to the awkward rally going on now.  
  
Not that he had a crush on his mysterious, deep voiced, bossy stranger. Nope.   
  
Between his overly emotional reactions to Will, and the daydream fantasies about the nameless sunrise jogger, Nico was certain it was just cabin fever setting in. He just needed get laid thats all. Withdrawal symptoms. Nothing personal. _  
  
_“Hey..” The soft tone interrupting the silence made Nico’s _traitorous_ heart skip, “I know you probably already think I’m weird but I saw you playing guitar outside- I mean if that was you, I don’t even know - but anyway I kind of miss hearing you sing and I was wondering if you could - oh shit I mean I haven’t been eavesdropping on you singing every night- Gods, what I’m trying to say is-“  
  
Nico cut off the other boys frantic rambling with a laugh. A genuine, head thrown back laugh. It must have shocked Will as much as it did Nico as it shut the other boy up very quickly.  
  
“Jesus, Solace. If I didn’t know any better I’d have said you were nervous.” The laugh was still evident in the dark haired boy’s voice.  
  
Will murmured a reply, and Nico could practically hear the indigent scowl on his neighbours face, which only made another bubble of laughter rise up in the smaller boy’s throat. He pushed this one down. _Gods what was wrong with him today.  
  
_ “Don’t worry, Sunshine, I won’t tell your girlfriend you’re getting all flustered over your little loner Italian neighbour.” He said this mostly to get it through his thick skull that this southern doctor almost certainly had a stunning cheerleader girlfriend back home (if his attractive tone was any indication towards Will’s physicality,) and that he should _definitely_ stop making a habit of flirting with strangers. Nice, probably beautiful and even more likely _straight_ strangers.  
  
“I’m not getting- I mean I don’t have-“ Nico didn’t stop the laugh that rose up this time, and it only grew louder when he heard Will’s frustrated growl, this was just too easy. “So you _are_ Italian.”  
  
The dark haired boy cocked his head to one side, “Yeah, how did you know, Mr perfect? Did you volunteer in Europe to help the homeless or something?” He let a teasing tone take over the end of the sentence.  
  
“No- I mean I have volunteered to help the homeless before but that doesn’t-“ Will cut himself off, and Nico lay flat on his bed staring at his ceiling, a lazy grin stretched across his face. Of _course_ he had. This boy was too much. “My housemates. They go to college in the city, and said something about Piper’s boyfriend’s friend being Italian and put on house arrest and-“ Will trailed off.  
  
Nico felt all the previous warmth that was filling his body from the conversation seep out rapidly.  
  
“Yeah and what else did your little friends say about me.” He couldn’t believe the words left his mouth with how tightly his teeth were clenched together, the resulting sound alike to that of an angered hissing snake.  
  
The boy across from him back-pedalled quickly, “No they didn’t say anything, just about-“  
  
Nico cut in, not wanting to hear anything else.   
  
He knew there was a reason. There was always a reason.   
  
Someone like Will wouldn’t just talk to him out of the kindness of his heart. He’d heard about Nico, about the fight, the house arrest. God he was _so stupid._ Will probably thought he was some fucked up basket case with no friends that he could ‘fix’. Still, the familiarity of the situation didn’t make it sting any less.  
  
“I’m not a fucking charity case, Solace. I know you like doing your good deeds, but don’t you _dare_ give me that _pity_ , like you know the first thing about me.” He found his voice rising against his will, and wasn’t sure why he felt so upset. It’s not like he even knew this guy, what did it matter?  
  
“No, Nico its not like that at all, no ones been saying anything bad-“  
  
The smaller boy ignored the warm rush that ran through him as the sound of his name on the other man’s lips, instead just throwing out his hand and slamming the window shut, pulling down the blinds, and falling face first into his unmade bed. His eyes stung.  
  
 _Don’t you dare cry over some stranger.  
  
_ It’s not like Nico wasn’t used to people talking about him. Gods he’d spent his whole life being the odd one out, the centre of any school gossip. First he was the weird boy who couldn’t speak English. Then he was depressed loner who’s sister died and no one would _dare_ look him in the eye. Then the ‘gay-boy’. And at college, the dangerous weirdo who apparently might hit you if you look at him the wrong way. Nico was no stranger to staring eyes, or gazes obviously flitting away from him; murmurs in the corridor and even the occasional shove against the lockers in high school.   
  
But this was different. This person was new, and he knew Nico not for what he looked like, his past, his gains and losses.   
  
Or that’s what he thought anyway.  
  
But that wasn’t all. There was something else about this situation.  
  
Nico hardly knew the man next door, he _knew_ that, yet he had shared moments of his life with him that he’d never dared let anyone else into, whether it was accidentally or not. Nico had let him glimpse intimate emotions, and he in return even triggered those feelings in the smaller boy.   
  
So no, it didn’t feel like he’d been let down by a stranger.   
  
It felt like he’d been betrayed by a friend.  


__________________________________  
  
  
  
The next couple of days passed, and Nico didn’t leave the house; he hardly left his room in fact. He kept both windows and blinds firmly shut at all times, except to watch his favourite runner in the morning.  
  
But even that small relief felt different to normal. The sunny man seemed less bright than he usually did, and didn’t appear every day. And on the days he did appear, bright blue eyes didn’t once glance up at the house Nico resided in, and the dark haired boy found himself wondering if he had imagined that overly hopeful action in the first place.  
  
He ignored calls from Jason and Hazel, speaking only briefly to Reyna as, even if he was upset, he didn’t quite have a death wish just yet. He scanned worried texts that came through from his best friends, and even a few from Percy, Leo and Frank, but couldn’t really be bothered to answer any of them.  
  
It wasn’t until Thursday that he finally picked up one of Jason’s calls (only because he couldn’t stand to hear the dumb ringtone the blonde had put on Nico’s phone for his contact, which the boy couldn’t for the life of him figure out how to remove. Sometimes Jason swore Nico was from another time period, the lack of technological knowledge he had.)  
  
“Fuck me Jace, you’re even more stubborn than me when you want to be.” His voice felt tired from lack of use, and he realised he’d not spoken for a good 3 days.  
  
“Nico I was _so worried_ about you, Hazel said you weren’t answering her either and I thought maybe you’d _died_ or something.”  
  
Nico laughed without humour, “Unfortunately not.”  
  
Jason’s concerned mother hen tone switched so quickly into anger that it almost scared the smaller boy, “Are you kidding me Nico? I don’t hear from you in days and now you decide to bring out Mr sassy voice, I swear to gods I will come over there and smack you if you don’t tell me what in hades is going on.”  
  
Nico shifted uncomfortably and glanced at the floor, before answering in a voice barely louder than a whisper, “Sorry.”  
  
“No don’t give me that Di Angelo, if I find out- wait what?” He heard the evident shock in his friends voice and cast his eyes to his bedroom ceiling. “Nico are you alright?”  
  
“Yeah. Fine.”  
  
“Okay sure…” Jason didn’t sound convinced, but dropped the subject anyway, to Nico’s relief. “Hey, one week tomorrow and I can come visit you!”  
  
Nico ignored him, biting his lip with a frown as he worded his next sentence carefully, “Jace do you know anyone that lives on my street that goes to Delphi college? Maybe someone Piper knows?”  
  
He could hear the frown in the blonde’s voice “Wheres this coming from?” Gods if only Jason knew. The raven haired boy cursed himself silently for _still_ allowing his stupid neighbours words to get to him.  
  
Nico let out an exasperated sigh, “Can you just ask her?”  
  
It didn’t come as a surprise to the boy that Jason walked barely five steps before addressing his girlfriend, they must have been making the most out of Nico’s absence, “Hey babe do you know anyone who lives on Cerberus street?”  
  
There was a silence for a moment, before Nico heard a girls voice in the distance, not quite making out any particular words.  
  
Nico knew Piper from camp, but they had never been particularly close; definitely not close enough for the girl to have visited his house. She and Jason met when they all began university at the same time two years prior, and they had danced around each other for almost half of that time before Nico nearly lost his shit and locked them both in his and Jason’s shared dorm during one particularly painful ‘study’ session. Since then he’d seen a lot of Piper, and had grown to call the girl a friend.  
  
“Yeah, Cecil from her mythology class and his girlfriend Lou Ellen.” There was another silence when Pipers voice chimed up again, and Nico's memories stirred very vaguely at the sound of the names. “She says she’s going over there tomorrow, something about a house warming party- hang on Pipes what number do they live on?”Another pause, before Jason’s voice grew in excitement, “No freaking way! Dude they live right next door to you!”  
  
Nico grimaced, “Yeah I know."  
  
Luckily, Jason was too excited about his new discovery to pick up on the boys’ reply, “Bro that is so cool! Oh shit Pipes I have to come with you tomorrow, I can say hi to Nico!”  
  
The Italian boy frowned, “I don’t think thats allowed.”  
  
“Hey, I won’t technically be visiting you, so how would anyone know? Oh! I know, if we have the party in the garden then you could just stick your head over the fence and boom! We’re partying together and no ones breaking the rules.”  
  
“Jason you can’t just invite yourself to some random-“ His own voice was cut off by Piper murmuring again in the background.  
  
“Pipes said I could come. Hey whats the party for anyway?” Nico rolled his eyes while his best friend had a separate conversation. Jason was always one to be easily distracted. He couldn’t help but be momentarily cheered by the thought of seeing his friend the next day, maybe this time would be a bit more manageable with Jason around- His thoughts were interrupted by the blonde directing his voice back into the microphone, “Okay, Pipes just called them and we’re on. House warming party tomorrow night to celebrate their new room mate moving in. Piper said Lou and Cecil seemed really excited by the fact you’re gonna be there- well kind of be there…"  
  
Dark eyes grew wide. _Shit_. Of course, the party was for Will. How could he have let that _tiny_ detail slip his mind?  
  
“Nico? So I’ll see you tomorrow right?” Jason sounded so excited, he couldn’t bare to ruin his best friends mood.  
  
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, hands clenched tightly around his phone, “Yeah. Tomorrow.”  
  
He hung up before Jason could make him promise to even more things like _joining a knitting club_ , or _selling his soul for a happy meal_. Although he probably wouldn’t need much convincing for that last one… he’d have to ask Jason to swing by Mcdonalds and grab him a drive thru before tomorrow night.  
  
Tomorrow night.  
  
Nico let his face fall into thin olive hands, a loud groan escaping his lips. Tomorrow he would have to face Will in person and somehow try to make himself _not_ look like an idiot. What if Will hated him now for snapping at him? Why did he even _care_ so much what the guy thought of him, its not like he’d ever really cared about Nico. Right? Gods he’d barely had two conversations with the guy and didn’t even know what he _looked_ like, and Nico was already acting like a fourteen year old girl who just found out her crush didn’t like her back.   
  
Wait, crush? _All this time alone must be making me go crazy._  
  
He was going to kill Jason when he saw that stupid, grinning face.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of Will's perspective, but I actually kind of struggled with this chapter, so I hope its alright! As you can see I've put a number on the chapter count now which might not be completely accurate, but I do have the majority of this fic planned out now so hopefully the pace will start picking up from here!
> 
> Please remember to comment and kudos it would mean the world to me!
> 
> Follow my tumblr @kingof-shadows
> 
> E


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Will catches feelings and Nico is stunned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not updating yesterday it was a bit of a hectic day!! Hope you're all well and I just want to say thank you so much for all the lovely comments!!
> 
> Heres Will's thoughts on the whole sitch, and finally a bit of real interaction.
> 
> Enjoy!

  
Will cursed himself for waiting by the window each evening over the next couple of days. He knew he’d upset Nico, and for some reason he could not get the hurt tone of the Italian boy’s voice out of his head.  
  
His second shift at the hospital came and went, serving only as a mild distraction from his inner turmoil. Will was angry. He was angry at himself for letting something distract him from the most important opportunity of his life. He was angry that Nico shut him out rather than telling him what the problem was. He was angry at himself for caring so much about the whole situation.  
  
Sure, after seeing Nico briefly in the flesh, Will couldn’t deny that he was attracted to the man, no matter how much he tried to convince himself he wasn’t, but that wasn’t the problem.  
  
Will spent his whole life from the age of around twelve and upwards looking at boys and seeing a quality in them that he later found out most of his male friends saw only in pretty girls with long shiny hair and bright eyes. It wasn’t that he didn’t like looking at girls, sure he found them attractive, but his eyes still drifted to strong jawlines and muscles, rather than short skirts and soft smooth skin.  
  
He told his best friends Lou and Cecil about his predicament at age seventeen, finally realising that he might be more interested in boys, but honestly, the thought never worried him too much, as he’d always spent the majority of his time studying, never looking for a relationship, never learning enough about people to to develop his attraction into anything deeper. So he never bothered mulling over what his traditional southern family would say, because he figured it didn’t matter what went on inside his head, as long as he worked hard and realised his dream of becoming a doctor. He didn’t need a relationship right now, so what was the use of making a big fuss about his sexuality. He’d seen the way openly gay boys were treated at his high school.  
  
But now he had a problem.  
  
The blonde haired boy had convinced himself that the lingering glances he shot at pretty, dark haired men, and the drifting fantasies that crossed his mind on lonely nights were something he could live with. Will wasn’t ashamed of his instincts, but he never imagined anything further coming from it.  
  
To be honest, he’d never really felt any strong romantic connection with anyone, so he’d never felt the need to plan any part of his future other than his career. He had always been satisfied with the idea of being ‘married to your job’.   
  
Until now.  
  
The familiar rush that ran through him when he first glimpsed Nico was not unlike other fleeting feelings he’d had, (albeit this was significantly more intense than with that exchange student back in high school). It was the growing fluttering in the base of his stomach, the warmth that blossomed inside his chest, the smile that pulled on his face so widely when he spoke with Nico that it was almost painful. _That_ was the problem.  
  
Will hadn’t even considered it possible for himself to feel so strongly towards someone, let alone someone he’d never properly met, so when his gut began twisting each time he glanced outside at the firmly shut window opposite himself, he had to catch his breath and make an effort to pull himself together.  
  
Nico absolutely fascinated him. Will found himself wanting to find out more about the mysterious boy, wanting wrap his arms around his pale olive skin each time Nico let slip even the slightest hint of vulnerability, wanted to hear the boy sing softly to him in his mother tongue, sing exquisite love songs. And Will found himself wanting those love songs to be about him, be _for_ him.  
  
Obviously when those thoughts came creeping in, the blue eyed boy shut them off quickly. But no matter how he tried, he could never fully pull his mind away from thoughts of his neighbour.  
  
Seeing as nothing was going to distract him completely, Will decided he wasn’t going to shut Nico out and try to forget about him; he knew without even trying that this particular plan probably wasn’t going to work. So instead, he decided to try and be there for Nico, talk to him, let him talk back, and hopefully after Will found out more, his longing to be near the boy would settle into something less distracting. Although really Will didn't mind what it settled into as long as he got to talk to Nico more, and see those dark, messy locks again.   
  
So maybe, just _maybe_ Will was developing feelings for the boy. But that could be figured out at a later date, after he finally managed to get Nico to talk to him again.  


_______________________

  
Will wasn't expecting to see Lou and Cecil waiting downstairs for him early on Friday morning before his final shift of the week. And furthermore, he hadn’t been expecting to see the mischievous smiles stretched across his friends’ faces.  
  
Will stopped short, eyeing the pair warily, “What’s going on.”  
  
The couple glanced at each other briefly before Lou stepped forwards and began talking in a measured voice.  
  
“So. You know that little gathering we decided to have tonight-“  
  
“The one _you_ decided to have, yes.”  
  
Lou ignored this, “Well we may have managed to invite someone very special. His name is Nico Di Angelo-“  
  
Will’s head shook in confusion at this, “What do you mean? Isn’t he on house arrest? Wait how did you find out his name?”  
  
Clearly not expecting this answer, Lou’s emerald eyes widened, “How do _you_ know his name?”  
  
Will flushed, realising his mistake, “I-“ he paused momentarily, “I asked first.”  
  
Cecil rolled his eyes, “So turns out Piper’s boyfriend is his roommate, so Jason is going to come tonight and introduce us all properly to our neighbour over the fence.”  
  
“But how do _you_ know his name.” Lou clearly wasn’t going to let this go.  
  
Will let his bright eyes trail to the floor, “We’ve been talking.”  
  
“What!” Lou practically squealed, “Oh my gods Will do you actually like him? I’ve never seen you like this before.”  
  
Will just met her eyes, desperately.  
  
“Oh gods you _do_ like him. Wait why do you look so sad? Isn’t this good? We can finally get you laid!”  
  
Will decided to ignore this, before continuing, “I think he hates me.”  
  
“How can anyone hate that pretty face!”  
  
“Well he hasn’t actually seen my face yet.” Will admitted sheepishly, before finally caving, and explaining his interesting interactions with Nico, starting right from the first song he heard the Italian boy sing.  
  
By the time he had finished, Will realised he was probably going to be late for his shift, and Lou was practically _glowing.  
  
_ “Why do you look so happy? He won’t even want to see me tonight Lou.”  
  
His dark haired friend’s smile stayed firmly in place, “Go to work, Solace, we’ll see you at the party later.”  
  


________________________  
  
  
  
Nico knew he was in for a bad day when the runner didn’t appear that morning. He had been thinking that maybe the sight would have managed to carry him through the day until the dreaded party that evening. But now he guessed he’d never know.  
  
He spent a good two hours of the exhaustingly long day picking desperately between his wide array of black t shirts and skinny jeans, before finally deciding on the combination he had been wearing in the first place. _Gods why was he so stressed?_  
  
The dark haired boy spent every minute of the day trying to imagine how the evening would play out. What if Will was angry at him and they argued? What if Will made fun of him? Gods he didn’t even want to imagine that one.  
  
When the evening finally came round, he heard voices coming from the garden next door, and he had almost committed to hiding inside for the entirety of the night, before he heard a shout from outside his house, shocking him out of his spiralling pitiful thoughts.  
  
“NICO.”  
  
The brown eyed boy groaned loudly, but couldn't stop the slight grin from appearing on his face at the sound of his best friends’ voice.  
  
Walking downstairs and out of his front door, he found Jason waiting excitedly on the lawn of his neighbours house, standing next to Piper, who’s dark smooth hand was knocking at the door. _Wills_ door. The tall blonde boy was jumping up and down on his feet, right on the edge of the Di Angelo property, looking nervously around as if someone was about to appear from thin air and tell him off, before finally deciding he didn’t care, and sprinted over towards the smaller boy and, to Nico’s horror, picking him up in a bone crushing hug.  
  
“Jason if you don’t remove yourself from me I will cut your arms off myself.” He tried to growl out, voice muffled in the soft fabric of Jason’s jumper.  
  
He wriggled stubbornly, as the taller boy laughed warmly before holding the Italian boy firmly at arms length, blue eyes scanning him, expression suddenly serious.  
  
“Are you ok? You look thin, have you been eating?”  
  
Nico fought down a smile, an rolled his eyes dramatically, “Fuck off, mom, I’m fine. Now get back over there before I call the police for breaking the rules.”  
  
The taller boy flashed his teeth in a wide smile, before sprinting off into the now open neighbours door, shouting back over his shoulder, “Meet us in the back garden in 10 mins, I think everyone else is here already!”  
  
  
  
Jason was right, When Nico hesitantly looked over the fence into the next doors dimly lit garden, he saw around twenty people chattering excitedly and drinking from plastic cups. Nico scanned the crowd for people he knew. He saw Jason and Piper heading over his way immediately; spotted Leo and Percy caught in an extremely animated back and forth surrounded by a couple of other familiar faces, Frank, Annabeth, whom he had becoming surprisingly close to back in his camp days, despite her finding out about his humiliating crush on her boyfriend, and Thalia, Jason’s older sister, who flashed a wicked grin and a wink in Nico's direction when she spotted where her brother was headed.  
  
“Man I've missed this place.” He heard Jason’s voice distantly, and looked over to see his friends blue eyes scanning the dark building behind Nico.  
  
The smaller boy only scoffed, offering Piper a lazy grin as she waved warmly at him. “Feel free to take my position, Grace, I think I’m gonna kill someone if I stay trapped in that house any longer.”  
  
Jason gave him a long look out of the corner of his blue eyes. He was one of the only people who knew the Bianca story, and Nico could tell the boy was more worried about his wellbeing than he let on.  
  
Piper, missing this meaningful glance between the pair, flicked her dark choppy hair over her shoulders, before cocking her head at Nico, hands on her hip. Her eyes scanned the Italian boys face, before smirking mischievously, as if figuring something out that Nico had yet to learn about. He was about to open his mouth and defend himself, not quite sure about _what_ just yet, but the girl interrupted him.  
  
“So you didn’t tell me you lived next door to Lou Ellen and Cecil.” Nico could tell this wasn’t what Piper had been thinking, but honestly, the look the girl gave him was borderline scary so he decided not to question it.  
  
“What? Oh yeah I guess I didn’t know, I haven’t met them. Actually I’m not even sure which ones they are.”  
  
Piper looked over her shoulder, pointing towards a trio of people chatting near the back door of the house. Nico saw a short dark haired girl and curly haired boy whom looked vaguely familiar to him, talking to a guy with his back to Nico, with almost blindingly bright golden curls. Nico frowned. He felt his stomach twist strangely, but didn’t have time to question it before Piper called out to them, drawing the trios attention over towards the fence.  
  
Nico’s eyes went wide. The sunshine curls were turning away from him, and Nico barely had the fleeting thought that he didn’t want the blinding hair to leave his sight yet, before he saw the face that the locks belonged to. Brilliantly blue eyes, unfairly tanned, bronze skin, and a dazzlingly bright smile that faltered slightly when the two of them locked eyes.  
  
It was the runner Nico had been drooling over for the past two weeks. _What was he doing here?_  
  
Nico’s eyes were ripped away from the godlike man far sooner than he wanted, as the two figures who he assumed were Cecil and Lou blocked his line of sight.  
  
The girl grinned at him, green eyes making him shift uncomfortably under the gaze.  
  
“So _you’re_ Nico Di Angelo,” her intense eyes glittered, and Nico looked away, “I’m Lou Ellen, I’ve heard _so_ much about you.”  
  
There was some joke in the girls voice that Nico didn’t quite understand, and he pointedly ignored her outstretched hand, glancing back almost longingly at the house he was cursing just a few moments before.  
  
“Sorry about my girlfriend, she can be a bit intense, it’s so nice to finally meet our neighbour. I’m Cecil, I live next door with Lou and Will.” The girl shot a glare at Cecil, but Nico didn’t see, his mind was too bust whirring.  
  
 _Will._  
  
Gods in the frenzy of new people, and seeing his beloved jogger man, he had almost completely forgotten about Will. His eyes flittered around nervously, trying to figure out which of the figures before him was Will Solace.  
  
Lou cleared her throat, and Piper breathed in slightly, letting out a small “oh”, as if finally remembering the answer to an easy question that she’d been stuck on for ages.  
  
“Yes, well I’ll get Will to come and talk to you later, I’m sure he's dying to meet you.” Lou flashed another grin towards Nico, before grabbing Cecil by the arm, and dragging the boy away.  
  
Jason looked extremely confused, but Piper rounded on him quickly, “How long?”  
  
“What?” Jason and Nico spoke at the same time.  
  
Piper sighed loudly, “How long have you liked him?”  
  
Jason and Nico spoke together again, the former gasping and yelling “Who?! Cecil?” And the latter just groaning out “I don’t like-“  
  
“Cut the crap Di Angelo. You like Will. I mean I don’t blame you he is really cute-“ She was cut off by protests coming from Jason, and Nico found his head spinning. _Will is cute. I want to see him for myself.  
  
_ “I wouldn’t know, McLean, I've never seen him before.” He intended the words to come out in a sarcastic drawl, but he ended up just sounding slightly jealous. He was losing his touch.  
  
The copper skinned girl looked confused at this, but they were all interrupted when a tall, tanned, utterly gorgeous figure started walking in their direction.  
  
Piper looked conflicted, clearly having a brief battle in her head, before leaning in close and hissing at Nico in a whisper, “I want details. Later.” Before grabbing her dumbstruck boyfriend by the arm and penguin walking him away, leaving Nico alone looking helplessly bewildered.  
  
Nico let his eyes trail back to the golden haired man who was _definitely_ heading his way, a nervous expression cast on his face, blue eyes held towards the floor, and he found himself inwardly panicking. _Oh gods why is he coming to me? What does he want? My lunch money? What if he wants to talk about running oh shit I don’t know anything about running.  
  
_ The anxiety must have been clear on the smaller boy’s face, as the beautiful man stopped at a safe distance away from him, scratching his head absently as if working up the nerve to start speaking.  
  
Nico was seconds away from turning on his heel and sprinting away from this very bizarre situation, when a low voice made him catch his breath in his throat.  
  
“Look, Nico I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. I didn't mean to make it sound like we were talking about you because it really wasn’t like that. I understand if you don’t want to see me but I was hoping we could start over?” The words were coming out in rapid fire and Nico’s mind was working at about half a mile an hour so it took him a good couple of minutes to fully understand what was going on. His thoughts were jumbled and incoherent.  
  
 _How does he know my name? Wow his accent is so nice. I've heard that voice before. Wow his eyes are so blue. Why is he apologising? How is it possible to look like that? Oh gods he’s backing away what do I do._  
  
Nico cleared his thought thickly, “I-um. Ok.” He tripped over the words, his slow mind still not understanding what was happening, but certain he didn't want the man to leave his sight.  
  
He must have said the right thing, because the golden man smiled brightly and Nico thought absently that he needed to go and grab some sunscreen, and walked closer towards the fence.  
  
If possible, the guy was even more perfect up close, his skin was glowing, and the sapphire bright eyes almost stopping Nico from noticing how _tall_ this stranger was. He didn't know who this angel thought he was but he was _not complaining_.  
  
“What? Oh great. I mean- yeah thats great-“ The calming southern tilt to his voice made Nico’s stomach flip, and he distantly knew there was something here that he was missing, when the stranger stuck out his strong, bronzed hand and continued, “I'm Will, it’s nice to finally meet you in person.  
  
It hit him all at once, realisation clicking into place with a sudden jolt.   
  
_Oh my gods._  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhh I'm sorry for the cliff hanger, I was going to continue this chapter on for longer but it would have ended up being ridiculous. Don't worry though the next chapter should be up tomorrow so you won't have to wait too long! Poor hopeless Nico hahaha.
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments!!
> 
> Follow my tumblr @kingof-shadows
> 
> E


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nico blushes a lot and Will has a crush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Thank you again for the wonderful comments, I really hope you enjoy the second half of the party! I wrote this chapter quite quickly, and I'm not 100% sure about it but please let me know what you think!
> 
> Enjoy

Nico shook Will’s hand without so much as a second thought (unusual for the Italian boy, who usually spent the majority of his time avoiding any and all physical contact) and sucked in a deep breath as his cold olive skin met the almost uncomfortably warm bronze caress of Will’s fingers. He felt a jolt of something unfamiliar shoot up his arm from the point of contact, and quickly retracted his hand almost immediately as if he’d been electrocuted.  
  
“It’s you.” Nico’s voice sounded far away to his own ears, and he suddenly realised just how weird this must have sounded to the other man. Will must not have thought it was that strange however, as a blindingly bright grin stretched over his pretty face, making Nico’s stomach swirl uncomfortably, and he felt like a giddy teenager. Although in this moment he couldn’t quite bring himself to care.  
  
“So what do you say stranger? Friends?” The golden haired boy let only the slightest trace of worried uncertainty seep into his voice at this, and Nico wondered vaguely where the stuttering doctor from next door had gone and why this confident, gorgeous male model was standing in his face. And the most baffling part was that he actually seemed to care about what Nico’s answer was.   
  
Now, the raven haired boy had faced more than his fair share of disagreements in his life time, but honestly this must have been the first time someone, who had absolutely no reason to give a damn about his feelings, actually went out of their way to reconcile with the boy. And honestly he wasn’t really sure what to do with this. Ignoring the twinge that ran through his body at the word ‘friends’, the Italian racked his empty brain to think of a time when anyone had actually _tried_ to be his friend before. He loved his friends like they were family, but their relationships had kind of just happened; he had never been faced with a predicament like this before.  
  
This time is was Nico’s turn to be the fumbling fool, as he ran his hands shakily through his dark hair, watching in amazement as bright blue eyes followed this movement, and attempted to let words of some grammatical sense out of his mouth, “Uh.. Yeah sure. Friends.”  
  
If possible, Will’s smile stretched even wider at this and Nico felt his vision blur slightly.  
  
He forced himself (with difficulty) to look away from the bright boys face, and noticed suddenly how close he was standing to the wall encircling his garden. Face flushing slightly, he took a step backwards, praying to any and all Gods that he wouldn’t trip over anything.  
  
Will smile faltered slightly at the movement, and he looked down quickly before glancing back up at Nico through his _unfairly_ thick eyelashes.  
  
“I really am sorry for upsetting you Nico.”  
  
For some reason, hearing his name again snapped the smaller boy out of his trance, and he grasped onto whatever dignity he still somehow had left, and smirked at the other man.  
  
“Whatever, Solace. Don’t get all emotional on me or I’ll start ignoring you again.”  
  
This jump back to normality visibly relaxed the two boys, and they found themselves falling into a much more comfortable conversation, Nico grinning sheepishly when he heard that the other boy had been waiting at the window for a conversation over the past couple of days, and even laughing out loud when Will told him how his roommates had walked in on him trying to sing half remembered lullabies in a language he had absolutely no knowledge about.  
  
Nico found himself speaking before he thought, so drawn into Will’s dramatic story telling, “Hey, I can always teach you a song or two if you’d like.” His face flushed as he realised the implications of what he’d just said, and he quickly stumbled out an excuse, “Sorry, I mean- I didn’t mean-“  
  
He was cut off by Will’s widest smile yet, “Yeah I’d love that.”  
  
Nico stared at the boy for a second, wondering how someone even managed to smile that much without it becoming painful. “Oh. Oh ok”  
  
Will cocked his head slightly and Nico caught himself watching the shift of the other boy’s shiny golden curls at the movement.   
  
“Although, I don’t think I could really pull off the Italian quite how you do. Maybe we should start with something simple. I could always serenade you with my extensive knowledge of Disney songs.”  
  
The raven haired boy felt a stir in the back of his mind as he vaguely realised it sounded like this angel was flirting with him. _Flirting_. With _him_. But, as the ever eloquent person he was, rather than seizing the (probably overly hopeful) chance to flirt back with this beautiful man, he just stuttered out a lame reply.  
  
“I- Ugh… I’ve never seen any Disney films.”  
  
Will’s eyes went wide, giving Nico a clear view of the ridiculously bright blue eyes he had already absently committed to memory, his mouth opening into a slight ‘oh’ as he gasped. Nico’s eyes definitely did’t flick down to the other man’s full soft lips at this. Nope, definitely not.  
  
“Oh well we can’t be having that. I need to at least show you my favourites.”  
  
Nico’s head swam dizzily at the implications of this statement, and he couldn’t sift through his jumbled thoughts quickly enough for a reply before Will spoke again, looking at him thoughtfully.  
  
“You know, I think Hercules might be your favourite too. You strike me as a Hades fan.”  
  
Nico recoiled slightly at the mention of his hilariously apt fathers name. The blue eyed boy must have taken this the wrong way however, as he quickly let a guarded expression take over his face, back tracking.  
  
“I mean, we don’t have to do that at all. Sorry. I didn’t mean to-“  
  
Nico recovered quickly this time, shaking his head wildly, interrupting Will, deciding in that moment that he never wanted to see that expression on the other man’s face ever again.  
  
“No. No, I’d love to. I mean I can’t have visitors for another week because well… You know.” He looked down self consciously at the faintly flashing cuff encircling his ankle, and flushed in embarrassment. _Thats it Nico, remind your perfect neighbour that you’re a criminal. Real smooth._   
  
Will, however, didn’t look fazed. A flash of something Nico didn’t recognise flickered over the blue eyed boys, as he smiled somewhat shyly.   
  
“Alright. I’ll see you next week then.”  
  
The Italian boy barely had time to wonder if he had somehow just secured some sort of half date with his beautiful neighbour, before a large blur almost ran straight into the fence, reaching blindly in a very enthusiastic attempt to wrap Nico in a hug.  
  
“NEEKS oh my Gods I missed you so much how have you been- oh.” The bright green eyes that once set Nico’s heart racing flickered between the flushed faced boys, one looking away sheepishly, the other practically growling at the new appearance.  
  
“Jackson, if you don’t stop touching me now I _swear to Gods_ I will tell Annabeth that you cheated in that last capture the flag game, and for the last time, _do not_ call me that. _Ever_.”  
  
Nico and Percy had been through a lot before they became the close friends they are today, and so the taller boy knew that when Nico threatened something, he meant it. But apparently Jackson also had a death wish, so he just pulled back far enough to ruffle the dark haired boy’s hair.  
  
“Alright Ghost King calm down, I know you missed me!”  
  
It only took one seething look for Percy to realise. He stepped backwards, green eyes flickering to embarrassed blue ones, before resting on absolutely raging dark brown ones, and his mouth formed fell open slightly.  
  
“Well then. Don’t mind me I’m just going to um.. brush my teeth - I’ll see you later Nico.” The ridiculous brown haired boy sprinted away backwards, eyes barely leaving Nico’s as he grinned mischievously, mouthing a silent “Who is he?” Towards his smaller friend.  
  
Nico groaned, letting his head fall into his increasingly cold olive toned hands.  
  
“Oh my Gods please give me mercy.”  
  
He did not want to look up for at _least_ the next two years out of utter shame for his embarrassing friends, but the melodic sound of Will laughing was something he wanted to witness, so Nico’s head snapped up, looking at the boy apologetically.   
  
“Ghost king?”  
  
Nico only groaned even harder, looking upwards towards the night sky, as if hoping for some higher force to just end his eternal shame.  
  
“This is never going to be mentioned again.”  
  
Will only laughed more at this, blue eyes squeezing shut, his head leaning back, as Nico looked at the boy in wonder, wondering why this incredible human was trying to hard to befriend him, and questioning even further why he felt so comfortable in his presence.  
  
The dark haired boy glanced around shyly, hiding a slight smile and shuffling his weight slightly from side to side, “So.. Next week?”  
  
Blue eyes danced with humour, “You’re on, death boy.”  
  
  
_______________________  
  
  
Will lay in bed grinning that night, mind replaying his conversation with Nico over and over again. He knew it was ridiculous but he couldn’t get the thought of the boy out of his head. The way he glanced down slightly each time he smiled, as if not wanting to reveal his amusement. The way he would run his long elegant fingers through too long hair habitually. The slight lilt of an historically ingrained Italian accent slipping through his words.  
  
 _Next week.  
_  
Wills insides squirmed pleasantly as he thought about the plans he’d made with the boy.  
  
Was it a date? The thought frightened him slightly. He’d never been on a proper date before.  
  
 _Calm down Solace, you’re just watching a movie, why would someone like him even see you like that?  
_  
Will wondered vaguely if this is what his high school friends went through when he berated them for getting so worked up about their latest crush. Maybe he owed them an apology.  
  
Will had always been a people person. His whole life he found it easy to make friends, and loved nothing more than spending time in other peoples company. But he had never felt the way he had earlier with his new neighbour. Not even his relationship with Lou Ellen and Cecil compared to the instant comfort and yet tingling excitement Nico left him feeling. It made absolutely no sense. Nico scared him, and made him immeasurably nervous (something the calm, collected Southern boy had _never_ experienced before) and yet, at the same time Will felt the urge to tell the boy his darkest secrets and introduce him to his family.  
  
Will shook his head, as if trying to clear all thoughts from his mind.  
  
It was exciting. Feeling this way towards someone initiated an eager apprehension in Will that he could only really compare to the feeling he got when applying to medical schools.  
  
But that was also a problem. The blonde boy had spent such a long time working towards arriving where he currently was, he could not believe that it would be _now_ of all times he met someone who intrigued him so much. Will’s life was never this interesting. Back in Houston, the most interesting thing to happen to Will was getting two invites to his senior prom. And now here he was, living in New York City, of all places, working his dream job, and getting new feelings for a mysterious Italian goth who apparently had nothing against beating people up.  
  
Honestly, it wasn't exactly what Will had pictured when he thought about his five year plan back in high school.  
  
Will rolled onto his side, thinking again about earlier in the night.  
  
After his conversation with Nico, the boy had been stolen back by his friends, who apparently were losing patience waiting to speak to the boy after not seeing him for weeks.  
  
Will watched briefly, a slight smile on his face as the dark haired boy rolled his eyes at an equally small, messy haired boy, and as he shared surprisingly fond looks with two girls, one blonde with deep tanned skin, the other with dark short hair, and multiple face piercings.   
  
He didn’t notice a tall blonde figure make their way over to him before feeling a strong hand on his shoulder. Will turned quickly, meeting the gaze of a strongly built guy around his height, with similar blue eyes.   
  
“Hey man, I’m Jason. I hear you’re Will Solace?” The boy looked Will up and down, sizing him up, although not in an entirely unfriendly manner.  
  
Will frowned slightly, before quickly smiling his signature smile and extending a hand towards Jason. He always liked making new friends.  
  
“Yeah, Will. You’re Piper’s boyfriend right?” Will’s mind clicked slightly at the sound of the other boys name, and although this description floated up a while after his first thought, (Nico’s roommate), he figured this was the safest option to go with.  
  
A dreamy look clouded the other blonde boys eyes, “Yeah thats right!” He blinked quickly, as if struggling to get his mind off his beloved girlfriend, “So, you and Nico looked like you're getting along well?”  
  
Will ignored the slightly protective tone, "Yeah, I mean I don't know him very well, but he seems-“  
  
Jason cut him off, eyeing the grin that formed on Will's face without his permission at the thought of the Italian boy, “Well you do look like his usual type.” he muttered.  
  
“Huh? What do you-“ Will barely had the chance to register this intriguing sentence, before Jason cut him off again.  
  
“Look. You seem like a great guy Will, and I’m glad Nico has a friend, especially right now.” He paused slightly, “But be careful, ok? He’s not as tough as he lets on to be. He’s only on house arrest because he protected a friend, and don’t for one second think he doesn’t have friends who would do the exact same for him if anyone hurt him.”  
  
Will’s mind spun, trying desperately to process all this new information at once, “I'm not sure I know what you mean-“  
  
Suddenly, Jason’s serious tone vanished, and a huge smile split over his face, “But I am seriously pleased he has someone to talk to while he’s stuck in that place, so..” Jason reached into his back pocket as if looking for something, "make the most of this ok?” he suddenly passed a small slip of paper into Wills hands, “It's his, not mine don’t worry.” Jason laughed lightly and was gone before Will could so much as open his mouth to respond.  
  
His blue eyes looked down scanning the small scrap of paper, and suddenly heat creeped across his freckled cheeks. It was a number. _It’s his not mine, don’t worry_. It was _Nico’s_ number.  
  
The implications of this entire conversation swam in Wills mind for the whole evening, and even now in bed he couldn’t quite wrap his mind around it.  
  
There were so many questions that rose to the surface from Jason’s words.  
  
 _You do look like his type.  
  
If anyone hurt him.  
  
Stuck in that place.  
_  
The first made Will’s heart swell at the thought of Nico looking at him in a similar way he now admitted to himself that he saw the boy, but the rest of the thoughts made his mind reel with concern. Why would Jason worry so much about someone hurting Nico? Had he been hurt badly before? What would Will ever possibly do to hurt him? And stuck in that place.. Jason had to mean the house next door which, as far as Will knew, was his family house. Although that did bring up the question of where Nico's family was and why they weren’t there. The biggest question at all should probably have been why did Will care so much about the details of Nicos life, but honestly Will was past the point of denying his investment in the Italian boy now, not even bothering to pass it off as his classic medical student over-worry.  
  
The more he thought, the more his hands itched desperately towards his phone, laying discarded on his bedside table next to the still unused slip of paper. He wanted to badly to talk to Nico already. Which was ridiculous, because they had literally only just spoken a few hours previously.  
  
The bronze skinned boy just sighed in defeat. Apparently, where his mysterious new friend Nico was concerned, nothing he previously thought was ridiculous seemed that way anymore.  
  
And that was just another thing to add to the long list of reasons why Will was so utterly drawn to, and hopelessly intrigued by the boy.  
  
 _Gods_ Will really did choose the absolute worst time to discover his first real crush.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awww Will has a crush!! And they have finally met face to face!!!
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and it was up to standard!
> 
> Lots of love to all those who have taken the time to read this fic so far, it means the absolute world to me!!
> 
> Please kudos and comment! <3
> 
> Follow my tumblr @kingof-shadows
> 
> E


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nico gets a visitor, and Will is jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! Just gonna jump straight into the chapter this week!
> 
> Enjoy

The moment he stepped foot out of his room the following friday, on the first day he was officially allowed visitors, Nico was bowled over by a tiny, dark and _very_ curly force. He found himself slammed to the floor; a huge, soft golden bush of hair covering the better half of his face.  
  
Spluttering, he just about managed to get words out of his mouth without letting the hair in.  
  
“Hazel. Remove yourself from me.” Even Nico didn’t believe the half hearted stern quality of his voice, and he couldn’t help a small smile spreading across his face at the presence of his sister. He contradicted further his words by squeezing the smaller girl even closer to himself.  
  
Hazel laughed joyfully, and the sound sound made Nico’s stomach feel warm and safe, as the (surprisingly heavy) weight lifted itself from his chest.  
  
“Oh Nico I’ve missed you so much.” Her breathless grin suddenly changed as she got herself up, planted her hands firmly on her hips, gave Nico an expression that he was _certain_ she’d learnt from him, and shoved him backwards with more force than he thought was possible from such a tiny bundle of joy. “You didn’t answer my calls once. Do you know how worried I’ve been? I swear to gods Nico if it hadn’t been for Jason’s updates I’d have dropped out of school to come and look after you.”  
  
Nico, finally managing to stabilise himself on his feet after the many interruptions to his centre of gravity, rolled his eyes, making a mental note to yell at Jason later for interfering with the mysterious reputation that he was trying to upkeep. He looked at Hazel with a warm, surprisingly soft gaze, and pulled her back into another hug. Yes, Nico didn’t normally like so much as a high five as far as physical interactions go, but his little sister was an acceptation.   
  
“How come you’re back so early anyway? I though Christmas break didn’t start till next week?” Not that he was complaining. Nico had been going crazy in this big house with no one to talk to. Well, apart from Will. The dark haired boy felt a blush rising to his face at the slight thought of his new friend crossing his mind, and he cursed himself for being so sensitive when it came to the boy.  
  
“Break started early this year.” Hazel explained, her warm southern tone lacing her words. Nico found himself blushing even deeper as he compared her accent to another certain southern drawl he enjoyed. Hazel cocked her head, looking at him with her golden eyes, “Why are you..?” Her eyes lit up as if just remembering something. “Oh Nico! Jason was right you do have a crush! I have never seen you blush before, oh my gods this is so exciting.”  
  
Nico interrupted her excited ramblings, spluttering out an explanation whilst secretly cursing the friendship his best friend and sister formed behind his back - “What- I don’t! Hazel what are you talking about I didn’t even mention Will-“ He stopped himself short, inwardly groaning and closing his eyes at the end of the sentence, bracing himself for Hazels reaction.  
  
“Will? Who said anything about someone called Will?” Nico could hear the teasing tone in her voice, and he opened his dark eyes to see his little sister practically glowing with happiness.  
  
Since the week before, he and Will had been speaking nearly every night through the window, and the blonde boy had even got into the habit of texting him during the day (he doesn’t know how Will got his number but he is certainly not complaining.) He had found out that Will was a few years older than him- twenty three to his twenty -, that he is originally from Houston Texas, he’s training to be an A&E doctor, has two younger sisters, and his favourite colour is yellow (because of course it is). He learnt quickly that Will was very open, and loved talking about his interests and family, it really struck him when he heard the love and compassion in the blue eyed boys voice when talking about his sisters, and the excited passion when he talked about medicine. Nico, on the other hand, had always been a closed book.   
  
Ever since Bianca’s death, the dark haired boy thought of his mind and feelings as a fortress. He spent so many years trying to keep his own thoughts away from his past, so it was incredibly difficult for anyone else to pry into those particular memories. He knew Will noticed this, whenever the inquiring questions were met with a quick subject change, but the blonde boy never questioned it, and for some reason, this was what Nico liked the most about the boy.  
  
Nico still found their friendship strange. He wasn’t too sure why someone like Will wanted anything to do with him. The man was intelligent, picture perfect, and incredibly charismatic on top of that; Nico was sure he must have been in the popular crowd at school, amongst the people who wouldn’t have given someone like Nico even a first glance, let alone a second.  
  
Try as he might, he couldn't get it out of his head. Nico was Will’s polar opposite. Dark in all the places the taller boy was bright and sunny, sullen and pallid where the other was golden and tanned, small and narrow where the other was tall and muscular.  
  
It didn’t make sense.  
  
Each time they spoke, Nico tried to ignore this thought, ingraining it into his mind that it didn’t really matter either way; it was just a pastime whilst he was locked up in the house, he might as well just make the most of it whilst he can. But the more he got to know Will, the more the stirring in his stomach grew, the more his face and body felt warm at the southern accent, and the more he knew it would hurt him when Will inevitably decided that he was sick of the weird gothic boy he’d given the time of day.  
  
For now, he figured it was a better idea stay closed off to the golden boy, just like he was used to.  
  
He was brought out of his musings with a start, as his sister beginning to speak again.  
  
“He must be a really special guy, if he’s got you interested.” Her voice was softer now, and her glowing eyes looked at Nico with meaning.  
  
The dark haired boy just scratched his head, looking at the ground and shuffling his feet slightly, “He’s just a friend, Hazel. It’s not a big deal.”  
  
“Well I’m happy for you either way. You could always do with making more friends.”  
  
“Yeah like the ones I’ve got aren't enough. Have you met Jason and Percy?” He tried to pass this off as a joke, but the words came out a bit too seriously for his liking, and Hazel gave him that sad smile that he hated.  
  
“You know what I mean Neeks. It’s nice you’re making your _own_ friends.” Hazel was the only person he allowed to call him Neeks. It had been Bianca’s nickname for him for so long he actually thought it was his real name for a while when he was very young. Hearing it spoken still made his heart hurt.  
  
“I know _Piccola_.” He smiled kindly at the smaller girl, using the nickname his mother and Bianca both used on him when he was a child. He knew Hazel didn't speak a word of Italian, so hadn’t the slightest clue what it meant, but the affection and sincerity in Nico’s voice was all the translation she needed.  
  
The moment broke quickly, Nico feeling the need to stop any and all serious talk as soon as possible, so he cleared his throat awkwardly, and spoke in a voice too loud for his own ears.  
  
“ _So_. When does Hades come back?”  
  
“ _Dad”_ Hazel looked pointedly at her brother, “comes back next weekend, so we have a week of just us to prepare.” She paused of a second, “He’s really looking forward to you being home for Christmas this year.”  
  
Nico ignored this, and also ignored the slight pang in his chest at Hazels words. He attempted to change the subject, but was interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket.  
  
Hazel gave him a disapproving look when the dark haired boy glanced down at the device, and Nico inwardly wondered when his baby sister had become the most grown up of the two.  
  
 **From: Solace 10:23am**  
 _Good morning! Thanks again for singing for me last night, it was incredible as usual! I’m at the hospital today but I’ll meet you at the window tonight at the usual time? x_  
  
Nico cursed his traitor face for heating up rapidly, feeling skeletal butterflies swirling around in his gut at the message. A smile curled at the edge of his lips.  
  
Hazel gasped and made snatching movements towards him, “Nico! Is that from Will? What does it say? Neeks what does it say?”  
  
Nico usually prided himself on being quick and stealthy, but this Will Solace shaped distraction gave the smaller girl a significant advantage, and she managed to grab the phone out his pale olive toned clutches.  
  
The raven haired boy made feeble last minute attempts to steal the phone back, but it was all in vein. Hazels golden eyes were scanning the screen rapidly, the dark, smooth skin on her face being stretched into a blinding smile.  
  
“Oh my gods, Nico! You sing for him? And you have a regular meeting time? I-You” She spluttered slightly in her excitement, “You _sing_ for him?”  
  
For some reason, Nico began feeling distinctly defensive, and he wasn’t entirely sure why. It felt strange letting Hazel know about his interactions with Will. They felt intimate somehow, as if Will was his own personal escape, not allowed to be seen by anyone else.  
  
So yeah, maybe Nico was getting a little bit attached.  
  
The night after the party the previous week, Nico found Will Solace hanging out of his window hissing an extremely conspicuous “PSST” in his best stage whisper towards the Di Angelo house. At first Nico had been baffled that: first of all, this angel sent from above actually wanted to speak to him again, but also that he was doing this at _midnight_. Not that midnight was particularly late for Nico, but he clearly remembered being told off by the impossible blonde for disturbing his sleep with music at 9pm in the evening before, so his appearance at such a late hour was quite frankly, shocking.  
  
Nico opened the window, trying desperately to fight back a grin as he sent a faux glare at the boy.  
  
“What do you want Solace?” _Thats it Di Angelo, scare off the beautiful man thats actually making an effort with you. Perfect.  
_  
To his relief, and horror, Will just grinned like Nico had told him he’d won the local lottery. Honestly it almost angered the dark haired boy how stunning the other looked when that smile lit up his face. Or maybe he was angry about the stirring it caused deep in his stomach.  
  
“I can’t sleep.” Will pouted slightly at this, and Nico practically melted right there on the spot.  
  
Pushing back all the ideas that sprang traitorously to his mind of _just what he and Solace could do instead of sleeping_ , he cocked his head and smirked at the other boy.  
  
“What do you want me to do, Sunshine, sing you a lullaby?” The nickname had definitely not slipped out of his mind with his permission, but it was too late to take it back now. Nico thanked every possible God that it was a dark enough night to cover his deep blush.  
  
On the other hand, Will's natural sunlit glow was bright enough to give Nico a glimpse of the pinkish tinge on the blonde boy's face, as he grinned lopsidedly.  
  
A second passed, before Will must have realised it was in fact his turn to say something.  
  
“Actually, yeah that would be perfect." Bright blue eyes looked over at Nico shyly from behind thick dark lashes, which was _completely fair_. Nico found himself agreeing before he could stop himself.  
  
Nico now reluctantly recounted this to Hazel barely above a mutter, and the grin he got in response was almost enough to rival that of the man they were discussing.  
  
“You sang to him. In Italian?”  
  
Nico nodded imperceptibly, eyes fixed on the floor.  
  
“Oh Nico.” Dark eyes met golden ones, and Nico could have sworn he saw a slight glimmer there.”That’s amazing Nico. You haven’t sung those songs for anyone since-“  
  
“Since Bianca, yeah.”  
  
Nico started when he felt warm mocha hands grasp his face, firmly yet gently.  
  
“I’m proud of you Neeks. And she would be too.”  
  
  
_______________________  
  
  
Arriving home from work that evening, Will raced past Cecils's questions (and Lou Ellens knowing glances, he hated how that girl could read him like a book) straight into his room and towards the window.  
  
Over the past week, he had spoken to Nico at the window nearly every night, and as much as Will hated to admit it, as he was literally living his dream right now, it was his favourite part of the day.  
  
It had taken a lot of courage to first text the number Jason had given him, but since that first message a few days prior, the two had been communicating during the day whenever they could. It was strange, Will always liked being with company, but never before had he wanted so badly to be around someone. He’d never given much thought to his phone as a means to contact anyone other than those he couldn't simply stroll into town and visit (he always preferred face to face contact, his dyslexia and texting did not get along well), but he found himself checking his notifications every five minutes, hoping to see Nico’s name pop up.  
  
Looking out of the window and across into Nico’s dark but now familiar room, his embarrassingly bright grin faltered for a second. There was someone there with him.  
  
With a jolt, the blonde boy realised today was the beginning of his visitor allowance. Of course he’d be spending it with someone who meant more to him that his neighbour.  
  
Checking his phone quickly, Will realised Nico never replied to the message he sent earlier in the day about talking tonight.  
  
He shouldn’t be disappointed, he _knows_ he shouldn’t. He's only been speaking to the boy for a week or so, its no wonder he’d put his close friends before him.  
  
Will had always prided himself in being a calm and generally happy person, but in that moment he began feeling inexplicably sad. The excited jittery feeling that had been growing in his stomach since the start of his commute home suddenly felt like a tonne of bricks.  
  
Just as the blonde haired boy began to retreat from the window reluctantly, Nico's window opened, and the raven haired boy waved at him, looking much happier than his normal angsty self.  
  
Will’s stomach exploded in butterflies at the sight of the boy, but this brief joy was cut short.  
  
Standing next to Nico, the boy whom he had become so incredibly attached to in the past days, the boy who he felt he was beginning to make a real, fathomable connection with, was a _beautiful_ girl.  
  
She was petite; with smooth dark skin and caramel eyes, her hair framed her pretty face perfectly in exquisite tight ringlets of so many different shades of copper, and brown and gold that Will almost felt dizzy. She was smiling up at Nico with full, pouty lips, a look of absolute love on her face.  
  
But the part that got Will the most, was the look on Nico's face. He didn’t know the dark haired boy to ever show many emotions that weren’t strictly controlled (Will wanted nothing more than to see what was in Nico’s intricate mind, but never wanted to push the boy, especially after his chat with Jason), but as he looked down at the girl, his eyes filled with warmth, and an unrestrained smile quirked the corners of his lips.  
  
Will felt a drop in his stomach ten times worse than the previous one.  
  
Of course.  
  
 _Of course_ Nico had a beautiful girlfriend. Gods he was so _stupid_ , why wouldn’t someone who looked like an exotic model have a stunning girlfriend by his side?  
  
Will had let himself hope, _hope_ that the connection he felt towards the mysterious boy was requited, in fact he was almost certain it was! But looking back, Will realised he didn’t ever ask Nico about a partner, _Gods_ he didn't even know what the boys sexuality was.  
  
The dreams and fantasies that plagued Wills mind each day must have somehow crossed too closely into reality. He’d let his crush get away from him. Gods he was so stupid.  
  
“Will? Are you ok?”  
  
The sound of a delicate Italian accent woke him up from his reveries, and Will hated the sudden rush of heat that ran through him at the sound of his own name. He looked up to find intense dark eyes staring at him, laced with the slightest hint of worry.  
  
Will forced a grin onto his face, suddenly feeling extremely tired, as if the knackering day at work had only just caught up to him, and decided to be thrust upon him all in one go.  
  
He didn’t trust his voice, so just nodded, ignoring the dark eyes that followed the slight movement of his hair accompanying the gesture.  
  
It was silent for a moment, before a voice he didn't recognise piped up.  
  
“I’m Hazel. It's lovely to meet you Will, Nico has told me so much about you.” Will completely missed the darkening of Nico’s cheeks and the dark glare he shot Hazel, as Will took in the warm southern tone of the girls voice, the kindness in her eyes and smile, and he despised the fact that he couldn't even hate her.   
  
She was perfect.  
  
Will returned the smile with great effort, “You too. I don’t think Nico’s mentioned you?”  
  
Hazel shot a look at the dark haired boy, and Nico had the decency to look mildly guilty.  
  
“Sorry. I don't talk much about myself.” The apology sounded like it was more for Hazels sake than Wills, and the blonde boy felt an unfamiliar and incredibly unpleasant emotion creep into him.  
  
Was he jealous?  
  
“Well anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself, I’ll leave you too alone to talk now Neeks.” She squeezed Nico’s hand in a reassuring manner, and Will nearly flinched.  
  
 _Definitely jealous._  
  
Will cleared his throat quickly, “No- no its ok, you’ve not been able to see each other. I’ll go and leave you to it. I don't want to interrupt.”  
  
Hazel had already left when Nico looked back at him with a puzzled look in his eye.  
  
“What? Will no, I want to talk to-“  
  
Will stopped listening. He shot a sad smile towards the other boy, and although every fibre of his being told him not to, he shut the window.  
  
Will knew there was a reason he’d always focused on work rather that trying to find love.  
  
He’d just end up getting hurt.  
  
He needed to pull himself together, and focus on what he moved all the way across the country for.   
  
No more distractions.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awww poor Will :(
> 
> I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and if you did please leave a comment and kudos it would mean the world to me!!!
> 
> Follow my tumblr @kingof_shadows
> 
> See you soon!
> 
> E


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nico loses, and Will is an idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! Im so sorry for the delay in this chapter guys! It's quite a short one but don't worry you won't have to wait long until the next one!
> 
> Enjoy

The next couple of days passed, and Nico waited (impatiently) each night at his bedroom window.   
  
He saw movement across from him, and a bright light that shone from the golden haired boy he was desperate to speak to, but the blue eyes never once looked over in his direction. 

Nico had been internally preparing himself for this moment. He knew it would happen eventually, just like it always did, but somehow this didn’t stop the pain creeping up inside his chest each time he saw his neighbours firmly shut window. He wanted to believe Will was different. It shocked the dark haired boy that after all this misery and sadness, his stupid heart _still_ wanted to believe, _still_ wanted to have hope. Although obviously he’d never let anyone know about that fact.  


When it came to relationships, Nico was always the one to withdraw. He didn’t date. Didn’t even stick around long enough to find out the other guys favourite colour. But Will had crept up on him. And now, the blonde boy was already firmly under Nico’s skin, so even the thought of cutting Will off made the Italian boys’ stomach twist in protest. 

Despite this, Nico was so familiar with the feeling of being let down, that he decided not to dwell on the matter. If Will didn’t want to speak to him, he wasn’t going to stick around and watch his pain grow. Even if the boy had been the first to get through to Nico in a long, long time. 

He could see the worry growing in Hazels golden eyes, but was grateful she didn’t push the topic any further, knowing her brother well enough to recognise his emotional limits. 

When Jason visited the first time, the day after Hazel arrived, he said nothing about Nico’s obvious distress. The two boys spent the day watching movies, and playing call of duty on Nico’s Xbox, the smaller boy not yet distracted enough to let his friend win. 

The day with Jason served as a good distraction, and it wasn’t until the tall blonde boy left that Nico felt a pang of empty ness in his stomach. 

He couldn’t believe he had let Will get to him so much. After all his extensive efforts to stop people from getting in, his walls seemed to crumble at one glance from those bright blue eyes. 

As more days passed, more lonely nights spent gazing out the window, he found the emptiness in the pit of his stomach growing rather than receding.

Jason was coming to stay with them for Christmas, but was remaining in the dorms until later in the month to spend as much time with Piper as possible, so when he visited again a couple days later after winter break had officially commenced, he didn’t yet bring his overnight belongings. Instead, he brought an unwanted intervention. 

The day started off well, but when they got round to their usual gaming fanatics, this time playing Mario Kart, Nico kept glancing towards the window near where the pair sat lazily on his bed, wondering absently what Will was doing. It was a Tuesday so the dark haired boy knew he wasn’t at the hospital. Was he in his room just across from them? If Nico peered over slightly would he be able to catch a glimpse of curly golden locks?

It wasn’t until he realised he came 8th in the race, and Jason was looking at him with _utter disbelief_ that he snapped back to reality. 

“Ok man, what is going on, I haven’t seen you lose a game of Mario Kart since you were fourteen and you forfeited the game so Percy could win.” 

Nico flushed at this, shooting a glare at his supposed best friend, “Well I was fine until you brought up that lovely memory.” 

Jason shifted his whole body towards the smaller boy, looking at him meaningfully with bright blue eyes that reminded Nico _painfully_ of Wills. He looked away.

“I’m serious, Nico. Something serious is up. Is it because Hades is coming back this weekend?”

Nico had actually forgotten about this fantastic fact, and groaned loudly, lying down flat on his bed. 

Jason chuckled, “Okay it wasn’t that, but now it looks like it might be.” Nico shot him a death glare from his position on the duvet. Jason ignored this expertly, clearly racking his brain for the source of Nico’s inner turmoil, when the blue of his eyes snapped back to dark eyes, obviously he’d settled on something. “Is it Will? Did he hurt you? I am going to _kill_ him-“

“Oh my _Gods_ how does everyone know about Will?” Nico rolled over onto his front so his face was smushed graciously into the dark sheets of his bed. 

He didn’t have to look at his friend to hear the smirk in his voice, “Oh come on Nico, everyone saw how you were looking at him at the party, if you didn’t want anyone to know then you shouldn’t be so _painfully obvious_ -“ 

Nico flipped over, shooting daggers at Jason, “ _Shut up_.” The words held enough seething rage for the blonde boy to close his mouth quickly, looking wildly around the room as if planning his escape route for when Nico inevitably decided to kill him. 

“Um..” Jason’s voice was high, and he cleared his throat before continuing, “I’m guessing now is not the best time to tell you I’m the one who gave him your number?”

There was a deafening silence, in which Jason was positive he was about to meet his demise, but the dark look in Nico’s eyes slowly turned to a look of pain, and honestly that hurt the blonde boy even more. 

Nico’s voice was quiet when he spoke, “Why,” he closed his eyes, breathing out loudly as of counting to five to withhold the anger seeping towards the surface, “ _Why_ do you Jackson always insist on getting involved in my personal life. I’m an adult, Grace. I can look after my love life by myself.”

Despite all the warning signs telling Jason to keep his mouth shut, (the low quiet husk of his friends voice, the use of Jason’s surname,) the blonde boy couldn’t help the flash of a grin that crossed his face, blurting out, “Love life? I knew you liked him Neeks!-“

This was clearly the last straw. 

A switch inside Nico’s mind flipped, and he stood up, chucking his wii controller somewhere into the room (safety bracelets be damned), and rounded on his friend. 

“Ok Grace. Yeah, my love life, because thanks to your _stupid stunt_ , I actually started to like my stupid fucking neighbour, yes that’s right, I had feelings, isn’t that so funny? Death boy has a heart” He laughed humourlessly and Jason took a step back, an apology waiting on his lips, “but guess what? He hates me, he wants nothing to do with me, and had been ignoring me for _days_ , so you can take your little acts of well meaning and _shove them_ -“

“What?” Jason interrupted the boy, his own anger creeping into the word. “Nico, I’m so sorry I honestly thought-“

The dark haired boy laughed again, anger trickling out and being replaced by sadness, “Yeah, well _don’t._ ”

They both stood there for a few minutes in silence, both boys stewing over the new information the other gave them. 

Finally, the taller boy broke the silence, “I’ve got to go.”

Whatever Nico had been expecting, it wasn’t this. Jason had always stuck by him, but now he was just going to leave? The pain in his gut must have shown on his face because Jason backtracked. 

“Don’t worry. There’s nothing wrong, there’s just something I need to do. I’m gonna come back tomorrow morning okay?”

The sincerity in the blue eyes that gazed at him intently broke the tension in the air, and Nico nodded at the boy, turning away as Jason left, and settling back down on his bed, exhausted. 

  
_____________________

Cecil and Lou Ellen quickly noticed the strange shift in their usually sunny friends’ behaviour. 

Well, Lou noticed it and Cecil was kind of just there, playing along. 

The faux cheery attitude Will brought down each morning before his shifts, and the way he locked himself up in his room on days off, studying until he fell asleep on his desk. 

When he dared to step foot out of his room late one Tuesday morning, Lou noticed the dark circles under his eyes, and the golden birds next sitting on his head, and just sighed. This had gone on for too long.

“Ok Solace. Spill.” 

Will just plastered his signature bright grin on his face, but one meaningful look from his friend, and he found his defence crumbling.   
Instead of defending himself, Will just sighed in defeat and leaned against the doorframe.

“Cecil was right.”

Cecil looked up from where he was sitting over an apparently very interesting bowl of cereal, brown eyes glowing with pride, “I was right! What was I right about?”

Lou shot a meaningful glance over at the boy, before turning back to Will for an explanation.

Will’s eyes flittered towards the ceiling before he spoke, “European. Not gay.”

Lou’s green eyes filled with understanding straight away (Cecil still looked confused), and she rushed towards the blonde boy, wrapping her arms around his waist in a fierce hug.

“Oh Will, I’m so sorry.”   
  


The blonde boy hugged his small friend back, feeling the flood gates open, “He has a girlfriend! And she’a beautiful, and he introduced me to her like it was nothing like I hadn't been hopelessly flirting with him, like he hadn’t been singing goddamn love songs to me at night, I just-“ he broke off, feeling his voice tighten. 

Will buried his head into Lou Ellen’s dark hair, the next words muffled, “I actually liked him, Lou”

She didn’t say anything, only hugged him harder, stroking his golden hair sympathetically. 

It must have been a strange scene for someone to burst into. A six foot man being comforted by a tiny girl whilst another boy sat stirring his cereal uncomfortably, half way to standing up. 

It was, however, the exact scene Jason Grace stumbled into as he slammed the front door open and fell gracelessly into the kitchen. 

“I- oh” the four pairs of eyes looked at each other for a few seconds, a growing feeling of _utter confusion_ filling the air. 

Will was the first one to break the silence, red rimmed blue eyes locking onto eyes of an equal brightness. 

“Jason? What in _Hades_ are you doing here?”

The taller boy managed to get a grip on himself then, lurching forward towards Will, finger outstretched accusingly, “ _You_. How _dare_ you. I told you to be careful, and I trusted you, and _this_ is what you do?-“

Lou Ellen stepped in, eyes flashing as she rounded on Jason, the significant height difference doing nothing to damper her intimidating aura. 

“Alright Grace, what the _hell_ do you think you’re doing walking into our house like you own the place, then ganging up on my best friend for no good reason-“

Jason just growled in a frustrated manner, pointing again at Will, “I need to talk to him” the way he said “ _him_ ” jabbed at Will’s heart, “about how he thinks it’s ok to play with Nico’s heart.”

The confusion in the room only grew at this, and Lou and Jason both starting speaking loudly at each other, anger growing larger in each party as every intelligible word passed.  


“SHUT UP.” The shout coming from Will’s voice was enough to stop the arguing. Lou looked up at her friend with a shocked expression, whilst Will just looked at Jason with sad, confused eyes. “I don’t know what you expect me to say Jason. It’s not me who’s playing with feelings here,” he let out a mirthless laugh, “I mean for gods sake I’m the one he lead on and then introduced to his _girlfriend_.”

All the rage that hid in every fibre of Jason’s being vanished at this peculiar statement, and he looked at Will in bewilderment, “What?”

The golden haired boy only looked at the ground, “Yeah. I didn’t want to hurt him Jason, I promise, but I didn’t want to get hurt either, and when I saw Hazel I-“

The atmosphere was interrupted by a laugh. A loud, almost desperate sounding laugh emitting from none other than Jason Grace. 

Three pairs of eyes looked at the hysterical boy with shock, watching as the tall boy fell backwards into a chair across from Cecil, shaking his head wildly. 

Will found himself growing angrier as the scene developed, and just as he was about to yell at Jason, demanding what exactly is so funny about his emotional pain and suffering, Grace got enough hold on himself to stutter out a few words. 

“Hazel is his sister.”  
  
The silence that followed was deafening. Will tried desperately to wrap his head around Jason’s words.  
  
 _Hazel was his sister. So.. who was his girlfriend? Wait if Hazel is his sister then..Why have I been_ _ignoring him? Oh Gods.  
_  
“He doesn’t have a girlfriend.” The words Will breathed out wouldn’t have been audible had the room not been so silent.  
  
Jason cracked another grin then, but thankfully did not fall back into relentless giggles, “ _Girlfriend_.” He shook his head, speaking the word like it was the funniest joke he’d ever heard, “The day Nico wants a girlfriend is the day he chooses to wear a bright orange dress, dyes his hair pink and listens to Taylor Swift.”  
  
Will’s brain wasn’t working. He couldn’t wrap his head around just what this intruder was implying.  
  
“So he’s..” Will’s pretty face was so creased up in thoughts, it looked like he was going to hurt himself.  
  
Lou just smacked his arm, “He’s gay you idiot. And clearly he’s into you and you’ve been avoiding him like the plague.”  
  
Despite the golden haired boy’s natural tan complexion, his skin went deathly pale, “Oh no.” He buried his face in his hands mumbling absently, “Oh Gods, what have I done.”  
  
Jason let out a chuckle, “And here I was ready to beat you up for hurting him. You two are just as blind and stubborn as each other you know.”  
  
Will just looked up at him, two pairs of blue eyes locking, “I’ve really messed up haven’t I.”  
  
Jason looked slightly pained, and hesitated before replying, “Yeah. Yeah you have.” Will let out a pained sound, and the taller boy quickly backtracked, “ _But_ I think you can fix it. You need to talk to him. You need to talk to him properly. Maybe go over there?”  
  
Will looked alarmed at the proposition, and waited for a second as if expecting Jason to continue speaking. When the silence continued however, he let out a shaky breath, “What? Now?”  
  
Jason stepped forwards, resting a large, warm hand on Will’s shoulder and looked him dead in the eyes, “Don’t worry, he won’t kill you. He just might maim or permanently disfigure your pretty face.”  
  
Will stood stock still whilst Lou Ellen collapsed into giggles, finally interrupting the scene she had been intently watching, “Oh man I am gonna like this guy. Go on Solace, go get your man.”  
  
She shoved him harshly towards the door.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Therrrre we go, Will knows what's going on!
> 
> Thanks so much for sticking by and reading this far into my fic, it honestly means the absolute world to me! I would love it if you could let me know your thoughts and leave some kudos!
> 
> See you soon, and stay safe my friends!
> 
> Follow my tumblr @kingof-shadows
> 
> E


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Will explains, and Nico finally understands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!
> 
> I want to start off by saying that I'm SO sorry for not posting this chapter sooner, I've not really been feeling like myself the past few days and every time I wrote something it was completely wrong and just didn't come out right!! I'm feeling a bit better now, and I really really hope this chapter makes up for my absense!
> 
> Thank you so much to all my readers, you are so very appreciated <3
> 
> Enjoy!

Nico sat on the bed for the next half an hour after Jason left, still trying to process what had just happened.

After years of friendship, Jason had never left Nico alone at a time like this. If anything, the Italian boy actually spent a great deal of his time trying desperately to get rid of his overprotective blonde friend, so it puzzled him that Jason ran out like that. 

It didn’t make sense, and the more Nico thought about it, the more it confused him. 

His spiralling thoughts were rudely interrupted by an erratic knock at the door downstairs. If Nico hadn’t been sat in such utter and complete silence, he may not have heard it, as it sounded as if the person outside wanted no one living or dead to hear the announcement of their presence.   
  
Nico frowned, confused as to why Jason was knocking in the first place, let alone so imperceptibly, he was never usually one for subtlety, and normally barged straight into the Di Angelo presence without so much as a second thought.

Deciding quickly that he did not want to get up from the cocoon he’d created out of dark washed bed sheets, he remained still, waiting for Hazel to get the door.

A few minutes passed and another knock came, louder this time, and the dark haired boy groaned, rolling his eyes back into his head as he began to stand up reluctantly. 

Nico began preparing what he was going to say to Jason as he sauntered downstairs, contemplating whether to shout at him for leaving Nico in a vulnerable state, or act as if nothing had happened, give the boy a brief nod and make a bee line back towards his game consoles. 

He took a breath in, ready to give Jason an earful as his pale olive hands turned the doorknob. 

“Jason, I-“

Nico looked at the blonde hair. The blue eyes. The tanned skin. All attributes of his best friends, but this was not Jason. 

Nico took in Will’s sheepish, but beautiful face; glimmering eyes downturned, fixed towards the small space on the ground between them, and made an instant decision. 

He slammed the door in Will’s face. 

Nico turned his back on the door, leaning against the dark wood, eyes shut tight as his mind flickered madly through fleeting thoughts. 

_What is he doing here? Oh my gods I just slammed the door in his face.  
_  
The dark haired boy shuffled from one foot to another quickly, glancing around as if pondering a quick escape route so he could run away, move to Italy and start a new life as a plant or something, _anything_ to get him out of the growing sense of dread and embarrassment that was overtaking his body.  
  
After a moment, Nico turned around, gave himself the harshest inner pep talk he could muster up in this ridiculous moment, and reached forwards to open the door again, arm outstretched painfully so he could stand as far away as possible from the spot he new his neighbour would be waiting for him in confusion.  
  
Once the door opened, Nico fixed his dark gaze towards the sky, plastering an unconvincing look of nonchalance onto his olive toned face as he expertly avoided Will’s alluring blue eyes.  
  
“Um- Hi. Hello.” He said lamely, wishing it had been a cloudy day, as the blinding sun only made his bright blush seem even more prominent.  
  
“Hi.” Will’s voice was quiet, and Nico found his eyes stubbornly locking onto the other boy, drawn there like a moth to light. Once he caught sight of the blue eyes, looking at him with concern, he found it very difficult to look away.  
  
They stared at each other for a good 30 seconds, all the while Nico thinking of everything that Will could possibly have come here to tell him, and his mind mainly drawing blanks.  
  
After an almost painfully long gap, Nico cleared his throat, and went to speak, only to be interrupted by Will’s southern drawl beginning to talk at the same time as him.  
  
They both grinned half heartedly, Will scratching the back of his golden blonde head as he looked up at Nico through his eyelashes.

“Sorry - you first.”  
  
The smaller boy had to physically shake himself out of the trance the look Will just gave him sent him into, and shook his dark head hurriedly.  
  
“No- I mean I was just gonna ask what you’re doing here so you might as well just go first.” He shut his mouth firmly, stopping any further rambling from escaping his lips.  
  
Will gave him a small smile, and Nico felt a sudden rush he hadn’t felt in a few days flooding his stomach, skeletal butterflies making it hard for him to concentrate.  
  
“Okay. Um..” Will looked pained, and glanced around as if waiting for someone to jump out and tell him what to say. “I need to talk to you. To apologise. For ignoring you.”  
  
Will’s miraculous appearance momentarily distracted Nico from the torment he’d been feeling lately because of the boy, and at those words, he felt his stomach suddenly plummeting.   
  
_Of course_. Will wasn’t here to spend time with him, he probably just had a guilty conscience about ditching Nico and wanted to make himself feel better.  
  
The dark haired boy found himself retreating into the house slightly, and saw a quick flash of panic cross Will’s _too bright_ eyes, as the taller boy stepped forwards, seemingly desperate to close the gap between them.  
  
“Wait-“ The urgency in the blonde boys voice stopped Nico in his absent minded withdrawal from the situation, and he found himself becoming much too aware of the closing inches between the two of them, “Wait, I’m sorry. I owe you an explanation. Do you think I could come in?”  
  
The thrill that ran through the Italian boy at the thought of having _Will Solace_ in his house momentarily overtook his better judgement, and Nico stepped backwards awkwardly, signalling for his neighbour to step inside.  
  
Will shut the door behind them, and the darkness of the Di Angelo house seemed so much more obvious now, with sunshine glow that emanated from the taller boy the only light in the dull hallway.  
  
Nico cursed himself for getting into this awkward mess that was bound to end badly, grounding himself slightly by shifting his feet from side to side, a nervous habit he’d picked up as a kid.  
  
“We.. Um we could go to my room?” He suggested, immediately regretting the words as soon as they slipped out of his mouth. Although it was almost worth it for the bright smile the words conjured on the other boy’s face, and Nico had to keep reminding himself that _Will had ignored him, Will had hurt his feelings_.   
  
He couldn’t let his guard down just yet.  
  
Nico led the blonde boy through his house, passing Bianca’s door and feeling distinctly weird about Will seeing this intimate part of his life.  
  
Opening the door to his bedroom, the Italian boy wished he’d thought to tidy his room (not that he was expecting a surprise visit from the one person he ever actually wanted to impress).  
  
When he turned towards Will, Nico was shocked to see a soft expression adorning the boy’s features as he took in the dark, poster clad walls of Nico’s room; the guitar pics, sheet music and gaming controllers scattered all over the floor.   
  
Will smiled at him, causing a weird pain to burn in Nico’s chest, “Your room suits you.” The words didn’t sound rude like Nico had expected, instead Will looked around him with a fond smile etched onto his face.  
  
Nico was honestly passed the point of not knowing what the hell to do in this situation, and decided to ignore Will’s words, setting himself down on the edge of his bed, pushing back the blaring thoughts in his head (mainly revolving around the fact his hot neighbour who Nico had been crushing on for weeks was _in his room_ ).  
  
There was a brief silence as Will leaned against the wall (much too casually for Nico to ever have recreated given the circumstances) and glanced out the window towards his own house.  
  
“It’s weird seeing my room from the angle.” He mused, breaking the silence, and clearly avoiding the main topic at hand.  
  
Nico suddenly felt inexplicably irritated. He had not let this man into his house just to make awkward small talk. In face he wasn’t entirely sure why he had let Will into his house now he thought about it.  
  
“No offence, Will, but why are you here?” The words came out a lot harsher than the Italian boy had intended, and he found himself cringing slightly at his own remark.  
  
If Will was offended by this, he didn’t show it. Instead, the taller boy settled himself into Nico’s desk chair, and looked the smaller boy dead in the eye.  
  
“I said I owe you an explanation."  
  
Nico growled slightly in exasperation, wishing they were still at the front door so this could be over with, “Forget it, Solace. I don’t want to hear your pathetic excuses. You don’t want anything to do with me, I get it. Don’t try and apologise just to make yourself feel better.”  
  
“ _Nico_.” Will sounded so desperate in this one word, that it caused the boy in question to snap his gaze up to meet blue eyes, and fall silent. Will took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I’m _so sorry_ for ignoring you, I didn’t want to I swear, I just didn’t want to get hurt, I-“ The blonde boy laughed humourlessly for a second, running his tanned hands through his golden hair in exasperation, “ _Gods_ this is going to sound so stupid.”  
  
Nico was stunned into silence, trying to figure out what his neighbour was going to say next.  
  
“I thought-“ Will looked at Nico, a small embarrassed smile creeping onto his face, “I thought Hazel was your girlfriend.”  
  
Of all the things he had been expecting Will to say, this was not even nearly one of them.  
  
There was another brief pause, as Nico tried to piece together why this strange assumption related even vaguely to why Will stopped talking to him.  
  
“…Okay?”  
  
To his surprise even further, the taller boy let out a frustrated sigh and shifted forwards in his seat.   
  
Nico thought vaguely that he must be missing something.  
  
“No, you don’t understand- Look, Nico. I thought Hazel was your girlfriend, thats why I haven’t spoken to you recently. I didn’t want to get hurt by someone who was clearly straight and in a relationship-“ Will cut himself off, looking at Nico, desperately willing the smaller boy to understand and interrupt his failing attempts at an explanation.  
  
The raven haired boys puzzled expression didn’t shift, and he stared into Will’s eyes coldly, a horrible swirling feeling of jealousy overwhelming the pit of his stomach.   
  
So this was it. Will had come over to try and get a good word in with Hazel? Was he using Nico to try and get with her? He felt sick, “You can’t date my sister, she’s still in high school.”  
  
Will stared at him incredulously, and began to laugh.  
  
Nico felt the sudden jealously get fiercely overtaken by pure anger, “Look Solace, if you came here to try and be my friend just so you can get with my baby sister, you can go ahead and piss off-“  
  
“ _Nico_.” Will seemed to break out of his brief hysterics quickly, his southern drawl laced in a serious tone, “Nico I don’t like your sister- I mean _of course_ I like her, she seems lovely and I’m sure we would get on really well-“ Will shook his head, looking slightly embarrassed and stopping his ramblings quickly before taking a deep breath, “I like _you_.”  
  
The previous silences seemed like nothing in comparison to this deafening pause.  
  
 _I like you._  
  
The words ran over and over in Nico’s head, yet he couldn’t quite seem to get a grip of them.   
  
_That didn’t make sense_. Will was _Will_ , he couldn’t _possibly_..   
  
And why would you ignore someone because of that?   
  
The Italian boy took a few moments to sift through the previous statements Will had admitted, _I thought you had a girlfriend, I didn’t want to get hurt, I like you.  
  
_ Oh.  
  
 _Oh.  
_  
“What?” The word sounded raspy and stupid to his own ears, but Nico didn’t care, because there must be some sort of mistake.  
  
The other boy didn’t say anything, and Nico couldn’t quite figure out the look on his face.  
  
Despite the fact he had been thinking about Will none stop since they first began speaking, it never crossed Nico’s mind _once_ that the golden haired boy might actually return his feelings.  
  
 _He was jealous?_

Nico’s head was swirling. He felt dizzy.  
  
Will must have read this silence as something wildly different from what it was, as he suddenly began looking slightly panicked, standing up in a rush and knocking a couple of books off Nico’s desk.   
  
“I’m gonna go. Thats all I wanted to say.”  
  
This seemed to be the only thing capable of snapping the smaller boy out of his overwhelming thoughts, as Nico suddenly found himself springing upwards and towards Will’s hurriedly retreating body.   
  
“Wait!” His pale olive hand grasped desperately onto Will’s warm tanned one, and Nico felt a sudden shock run through him from the small point of contact. He tugged slightly at the larger hand in his grasp, stopping the other boy in his tracks and forcing him to turn towards him.  
  
Nico searched Will’s eyes hurriedly, trying to find some sort of lie or dishonesty in the blue orbs, but was only met with a carefully guarded expression.  
  
Will thankfully didn’t let go of Nico’s hand, but took a slight step away from him, looking towards the floor, “I’m sorry, Nico. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable I think I must have read this situation slightly wrong-“  
  
Nico interrupted him, finally giving into the incredible realisation that Will must be, by some miracle, telling the truth, and stepped forwards, rising onto his toes and forcefully pressed his lips onto Will’s, cutting him off mid sentence.  
  
Will let out a slight squeak of surprise at the sudden contact, and Nico found himself grinning against the the other boys mouth.  
  
The kiss was awkward and messy and probably a bit too enthusiastic from the smaller boys side, but it was _perfect_. An explosion of feelings overwhelmed Nico’s stomach and chest as he leaned into the soft warm embrace of the taller boy, and it felt like finally releasing an enormous weight he hadn’t even known he’d been holding. All the worries and troubles that had been tormenting him for days on end seemed meaningless and stupid compared to _this_ moment.  
  
Nico stepped backwards, hand still gripped in Will’s and quickly began searching those beautiful blue eyes again, for any sign of regret of disgust like he had expected. But when he looked at Will’s face, all he found was a blindingly bright grin aimed towards him. He had only a moment to relish in the perfect sight, before the warm grip in Nico’s own hand suddenly pulled him in, and Will kissed him again.  
  
It was much softer this time, but Nico felt the same intense happiness spread all around his body as his lips moved perfectly with Wills.  
  
 _Will._  
  
He was kissing Will, _Will kissed him._  
  
After what could have been seconds, or even hours, the two pulled away, and Nico looked up at Will’s endearingly flushed cheeks, as the taller boy looked down at him, grinning slightly.   
  
“So, I guess that means Hazel definitely isn’t your girlfriend?”   
  
Nico groaned, pushing Will away from him hard, “Gross, Solace. She’s my sister.”  
  
Will just laughed, and the two boys were quiet for a moment, looking at each other.   
  
There was a slight shift between them, but it was comfortable, and Nico didn’t feel scared of the potential changes that shift would bring. He was excited.  
  
“I can’t even believe you thought she was my girlfriend.”  
  
Will looked slightly sheepish, “Hey if it wasn’t for Jason, I would still think she was.”  
  
“What?” Nico locked his gaze onto the other boy’s, praying with every fibre of his being that Will wasn’t about to say what he thought he would say.  
  
“Yeah Jason just came over and told me everything.”  
  
The smaller boy let go of Will’s warm grip, and fell face first into the bed, his olive cheeks burning.   
  
“I’m going to kill him.”  
  
Will started laughing, and the beautiful sound only caused the heat to grow on the Italian boy’s face, so he buried it even deeper into his bedsheets to hide the painful embarrassment.   
  
Nico only lifted his face once the blush finally died down (which took a good few minutes), and met Wills gaze, as they both wondered what came next.  
  
“So..” Will’s full lips tilted slightly into a smile, “Do you want to maybe go out on Friday night?"  
  
Nico furrowed his brows, stupidly, “I can’t leave I’m on house arrest. Also I don’t even like going on nights out.”  
  
There was a slight gap before Will spoke again. “I mean, do you want to go on a date. I’m asking you out.”  
  
“Oh.” Nico said thickly, wondering why he lost the ability to think like a normal, educated human when in the presence of Will Solace. “I still can’t go out anywhere though.”  
  
Will only rolled his eyes at this, crouching on the floor beside Nico’s face to look at him properly, “I know that , Death Boy. We can do something here? I mean only if you want to-“  
  
“Yes. Yeah I’d like that.”  
  
Will’s grin lit up the whole room, “Okay.”  
  
“Okay.”  
  
Nico cursed himself absently for being such a mess around his neighbour, trying desperately to remember how to be smooth and mysterious and charming like he usually was around guys.   
  
But Will wasn’t just any guy. And Nico found himself not caring how he looked, because the sheer happiness he felt at that moment was all there was to focus on.  
  
“Now can you go and get Jason so I can thank him, and then punch him in the face.”  
  
Will laughed louder than ever, and Nico’s heart felt warm and full.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!!
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed this fluffy chapter guys, I promise the next one will be up soon!
> 
> (I'm sorry that this happiness may be short lived - but hey we gotta have a bit of angst in there too!!)
> 
> Keep safe, and lots of love to you all!!
> 
> E

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading, pls let me know your thoughts on this and whether you have any suggestions or ideas!
> 
> ~Kudos and comment~
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @kingof-darkness
> 
> E


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